Lost and Found
by Athena13
Summary: Scrubs. After the date...
1. Prologue

**Lost and Found**

By: Jackie & Athena13

Prologue

Robin stood on the docks of Port Charles staring out over the churning waters, her hands hidden in the depths of the pocket of her black wool coat. The first place she had gone after leaving Patrick at the MetroCourt with Noah was the hospital. Within minutes after tossing her purse into her locker she had an armload of patient files filling her arms. Her armor.

Robin sighed, a puff of breath floating into the air in front of her. Watching it disappear she felt no more real than the visible breath breaking up into the atmosphere. Her dinner with Patrick had left her more emotionally bare than she had anticipated.

Robin sighed again and looked up at the startlingly clear sky. Out of long habit she searched out Orion, then her beloved Pleiades and all the other constellations that stuck in her memory from when her father used to point them out and tell her the heroic tales of old. Sometimes she still wondered why Robert Scorpio, hero of the world, didn't have his own constellation. Tendrils of her conversation with Liz from earlier in the evening drifted through her consciousness. How could the life of the daughter of Robert and Anna be so dull? If anyone should be the Devane-Scorpio child it was Patrick Drake she admitted with a rueful twist of her lips.

Sitting across from him at the MetroCourt she finally realized what it was about Patrick that had drawn her in from the moment she had met him, aside from his self-acknowledged good looks. He reminded her of her father, Sean and Luke - that boundless energy, the need to play with fire and the indefatigable confidence. With her guard down she was helpless to resist them, to pretend she wasn't attracted. That she didn't understand him. Noah's unexpected appearance had saved her and she had rushed right back to the hospital to try and build her guard back up. Problem was it wasn't working.

Damn it all to hell, but she had been looking forward to her date with Patrick and it had scared the hell out of her once she was sitting across from him. She could feel the tears burning the back of her throat as she told him he could go back to chasing after her next conquest tomorrow and leave her the hell alone. And did the man tell her he wouldn't be back to playing those games? Nope, instead he had challenged her to allow herself to have a good time and she had agreed, never contemplating where that would leave her at the end of the night.

The last time she had felt this churned up she had been looking out over the Seine, the sounds of the houseboat party her friend Maxime had dragged her to joyously sounding out behind her. Happy voices and happy music fueled by lots of wine, so in conflict with how she was feeling with the latest jilting burning heavily in her breast and visions of the note he had left still lying crumpled on the floor of the kitchen flashing before her eyes. He had left it near the coffee maker to make sure she would find it when she came home that morning from spending the night at the lab watching over an experiment.

Been fun. Back to Geneva. I'll miss you.

That night she had made a vow that she would not get caught up in the emotional pain and distraction of romance, telling herself that she'd had two big loves in her life already and what more could she really expect anyway? With HIV it was just too difficult, time and again she had to steel herself to tell and more often than not attraction would turn to repulsion before her eyes. When it didn't, it all eventually ended anyway. She had come to the conclusion that she just didn't have the capacity to love like she had Stone and Jason again and she was just wasting time and energy she could spend on her research.

Now, over a year later she was staring at a different body of water facing another life-altering decision. It was time to start living again.

Whatever that meant. Whoever that meant.


	2. Chapter 1

**Lost and Found**

By: Jackie & Athena13

**Chapter 1**

"Are you sure you want to move into that house again?" Brenda asked in Robin's ear. "It has a lot of memories."

"The one thing I have figured out since coming home is that the memories are in my head not in any particular place. Given I'm a brain specialist I should have figured out that it's just a house simply weeks ago." Robin was standing in the chaos that was the Scorpio-Jones kitchen balancing the phone on her shoulder and adding more soy creamer to her coffee.

"Make sure you change the locks."

"I think Carly has better things to do than try to break into my house with old keys." Robin laughed and leaned back against the counter and took a bracing sip of the fresh coffee.

"What about Jason?"

"If Jason wanted to get in locks are not going to stop him." Robin rolled her eyes at her best friend's irrational caution.

"Just promise you'll burn some sage before you move in and sweep out all the nasty spiritual remnants."

Robin laughed and shook her head. Brenda's breadth of knowledge never ceased to surprise her.

"Now, have you told Uncle Mac?" Brenda demanded.

"I needed to drink coffee first. I'm going to meet him for lunch before I go to work."

"Robin, Robin, Robin. You work too much. Why don't you ditch work and come visit me in Rome. Imagine all the fun we could have with your newfound lease on life. And I can find you some hot Italian men who don't even know Carly Roberts Spencer Jones Corinthos Alcazar, or whatever the hell her names is, exists."

"For the fortieth time I'm not going to get involved with Patrick Drake."

"So it's just a coincidence that a short date with this man has woken you up from the self-induced coma you've been in since Simon left Paris?"

"I told you he reminded me of my father and made me realize I wasn't doing his memory justice being so dull." That was her story and she was going to stick to it.

"I think your social life could use more spice, but living in Paris and finding cures to diseases and winning awards isn't totally dull. All that was missing was hot men. Are you sure you want to stay in Port Charles? Aside from Nikolas, Jax and Patrick there is a decided dearth of exciting men."

"What about Sonny?" Robin asked pointedly.

"What was that? I think we have a bad connection." Brenda faked sounds of static. "Listen, I gotta go. Let me know if you change your mind about Rome."

"I'll let you know. And you should come visit on St. Patrick's Day."

"Why? When I could go to Ireland? Love you, Robin. Talk soon."

Robin clicked off the cordless phone and put it back in its wall-mounted cradle.

"Speaking of keys," Robin muttered to herself as she left the kitchen.

"Is everything all right?" Robin asked as she opened the front door of the cottage. "Your father?"

"Nice sweats." Patrick smirked down at her outfit and then looked back into her eyes and held up what was obviously a bottle of liquor in a paper bag. "Everything's just dandy. I'm just here to bring a housewarming present to a colleague. We are colleagues right?"

Robin frowned and moved back to let him in. "How'd you find where I lived?" she asked, following him as he weaved through unpacked boxes to the kitchen.

"Small town." He put the bottle on the counter and looked around at the boxes piled up around him. "Do you have a wine opener?"

"Should you really be drinking? Don't you have surgery tomorrow morning?"

"Cancelled and don't worry, my liver is just fine."

It was on the tip of her Robin's tongue to ask why he wasn't still with Carly since he had so ostentatiously stormed out of the hospital with her earlier that evening, but she wasn't going to make the mistake of sticking her nose in there again. Instead, she found the right box and pulled out a corkscrew for him, went back out into the dining room to grab the wine glasses she had just put out in the bar and put them on the counter for him.

She pulled herself onto an empty spot on the kitchen counter and took the glass of red wine he held out to her.

"What are we toasting to?" she asked, sniffing the wine. She made a 'not bad' expression and swirled it around in her glass.

"Healthy livers?"

"Patrick." A concerned look on her face Robin made to put her glass down on the counter, but Patrick blocked her hand and pushed it back to her mouth.

"How about to being professional colleagues? Maybe even friends?" The last part of his question was said very quietly. He was looking into her eyes and she could suddenly see the pain and turmoil he had been effectively hiding till now.

"Friends." Robin touched her glass to his before taking a sip.

Patrick leaned back against the counter next to her, his head bent down.

Robin put her wine down and looked at him, waiting.

"I didn't think I'd care so much," Patrick finally said.

"He's your father."

"I told myself that it didn't matter."

"You tried to out-logic emotions. Sucks that it doesn't work." Robin gave a small laugh of recognition.

Patrick turned his head and looked at her. "I didn't say it before, but thanks. Sorry I was such a…"

"Jackass?"

"Well, that's nicer than I thought you'd say," Patrick chuckled.

Robin shrugged and picked up her wine and cradled it in her palms.

"This place, when'd you get it?"

"Years ago."

Patrick's attention was piqued by her tone and he studied her closely. "Did you live here with Jason?"

"How do you know I lived with Jason? Another of your assumptions? You know what they say about assumptions." She looked up at him, one eyebrow quirked.

"Okay, now you're using flip humor to avoid answering a question." He pointed a finger at her.

"Fair's fair. How about we drop the heavy topics and you help me unpack? Or finish painting?" She definitely didn't want to talk about the history in this house, especially since it included his current…whatever the hell she was.

"Manual labor this late at night? With these precious hands?" His mouth twisted into a moue of disgust.

"Are you too tired?" She tilted her head and looked at him meaningfully.

"Are you asking if I've engaged in other physical activities tonight, Doctor Scorpio?"

"Believe me I don't really want to know." Robin jumped down from the counter and headed for the door of the kitchen.

"Wasting surgeon hands on painting," he grumbled good-naturedly under his breath until he caught sight of the back of Robin. "Hey, Scorpio. Are you really using red paint?" He motioned at the splatters all down the back of her sweat pants, which included a particularly large spot that looked like she had actually sat in the paint.

"Thought I'd spice up the bedroom." She turned her head over her shoulder and shot him an amused look before walking out of the kitchen.

Patrick took a sip of his wine and looked after her thoughtfully.


	3. Chapter 2

**Lost and Found**

By: Jackie & Athena13

**We are not doctors, so if this is mumbo jumbo please excuse us **

** Chapter 2**

"No! I'm not going anywhere and I have nothing to say to you right now!"

Patrick stopped in his steps and moved closer to the file room door, listening for what had sounded to him like the self-contained Doctor Scorpio yelling at someone. Someone not himself. With a smirk he pressed his ear to the door.

"But, Sweetheart. This virus…"

"Don't Sweetheart me! I have work to do. You can certainly understand that!"

Hearing footsteps storming towards the door Patrick had just enough time to jump back as the door was pulled open and Doctor Robin Scorpio stormed out past Patrick, not even sparing him a glance.

Patrick watched her stalk down the hall, surprise and curiosity marking his handsome features. He had never seen Robin Scorpio so riled up, not even by him. Curious, he walked into the file room to find an older looking man without hospital ID standing there looking frustrated. Patrick could relate; he often found himself feeling that way after an exchange with the short doctor.

"And you would be?" he asked imperiously.

The older man looked at Patrick in askance, clearly surprised to be so abruptly addressed by the young doctor. He answered nonetheless. "I guess the secret's out of the bag now. I'm Robert Scorpio."

"Scorpio. As in?" Patrick pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards the door Robin had just stormed through.

"Her father."

"Father? I'd heard that you were, um, dead."

"Clearly the stories of my demise were greatly exaggerated. Or maybe not so much." He looked towards the door. "She's got her mother's fire and my stubbornness."

"Really?" Patrick crossed his arms, readying himself for some gossip about the thorn in his side who took such good pleasure in dispensing advice about his relationship with his father.

"Another time, perhaps, Doctor Drake. I'm with the Medical Rescue Agency. We have a situation to deal with here. I need to see Doctor Quartermaine now."

"This hospital is now officially locked down and quarantined. No one goes in or out without my say so." Robert turned to his men and ordered them to fan out amongst the crowd. Alan Quatermaine, in the meantime, moved forward and began to assign personnel to various posts and duties, announcing the cancellation of all non-essential surgeries and other proclamations that Robert had ordered him to put in place.

"Doctor Scorpio," Robert's strong Aussie tones broke through the murmur of the bustling crowd.

Grim-faced Robin turned from her conversation with the members of her lab to face her father. He walked over to her holding a folder which she silently took and began to rifle through.

"You do good work. I want you to work on..."

"She needs to leave." Mac came up behind his brother, his voice laced with anger.

Patrick, standing nearby nodded in agreement and moved closer. Robin had refused to look him in the eyes since he had found her tossing files around angrily at the Nurse's station. When he had seen how close to tears she was, he tried to pull her aside but she went at him with both barrels, throwing his own words back into his face about not running her life and not knowing her or her father. Before he could argue his way past her angry barbs Robert and Alan had gathered everyone and instituted the lock down.

Robin looked up at her Uncle and her Father facing off against each other. "I'm not going anywhere," she informed them.

"She's probably more susceptible to this than anyone else, right?" Mac asked.

"I tried to get her to leave, but I guarantee you she won't be working with patients, she'll be in the lab," Robert said impatiently.

"Will you be safe there?" Mac asked Robin, clearly pissed at his brother's seeming lack of concern.

"I've already been exposed if it's been in this hospital. I know the risks and the precautions." She put her hand on her Uncle's arm to calm him down. "I'm not abandoning my job to sit home and wait for people to die so I can be all right, maybe."

"Robert, good to see you." Noah Drake walked up to Robert and held out his hand. "I can help Robin in the lab."

Robert shook his old friend's hand and with a look at his implacable daughter he started to turn away, just then something, or someone, caught his eye. He turned back to his daughter, his eyes lasering in on her face for a reaction.

"Luv, I have a colleague from WHO here to work with you in the lab. Top virologist. He's been following this virus for a while."

As he spoke, a tall dirty blond man who looked more like a surfer than a world-famous virologist appeared through the crowd.

"I believe you know each other, Sweetheart."

Robert's words, however, weren't necessary. Robin's face confirmed the fact that she knew this man and was less than pleased to see him. Yet, within moments her expression changed and she took a step back, looking back and forth between the tall doctor and her father, knowledge clearly dawning in her expression.

"Robin, good to see you again," the Doctor said in clipped English tones as he stepped forward to greet her.

She shook her head and took another step back; bumping into Patrick whose hands shot out and clasped her shoulders.

"You work for him." She quietly accused the man as she wrenched herself out of Patrick's grasp. "You son of a bitch!"

"It's not what you think, not entirely," the man moved forward again to defend himself.

"Don't bother." Robin's face settled into an expression of quiet fury as she looked up at him. "I'll work with you, but I won't talk to you. I'll be in the lab." As she turned she caught a sympathetic look from Noah and forced a small smile at him before walking away.

"What was that about?" Patrick asked his father, impatience at the connection between the young doctor and his father evident in his voice.

"What can I say, she likes me." Noah clapped her son on the shoulder and went after Robin.

Patrick turned and faced the other man who seemed to throwing Robin off her game. "Now who the hell are you?"

Lab #7

"Here's what I have so far on this virus." Simon held out a memory key.

Careful not to touch his fingers, Robin took the mini computer data storage drive and walked into her glass enclosed office at the side of the lab. She got behind her desk and slid the memory stick into her laptop and waited for the data to be called up. As the colorful diagram of the virus filled her flat screen monitor she sat down, now engrossed by the information unfolding in front of her.

"This is either an obviously engineered virus or it's a mutation like I've never seen before. And it causes the same symptoms as regular encephalitis," Simon said, a determined look in his blue eyes as he watched Robin study the data and moved in closer behind her.

Robin looked up at Simon as Noah sat down on the other side of the desk, Patrick following closely behind to take the other chair.

"It hits faster and stronger than a normal virus and we haven't found an antiviral that will work in the lab or the field."

"This started as a standard herpes simplex virus." Robin grabbed a pad and pen and began to jot down notes. "Symptoms? Any different ones?"

"None. Generally patients with encephalitis suffer from fever, headache, vomiting, confusion, drowsiness and photophobia. Basically, it presents like flu, which is how GH has been classifying these patients until today." Simon directed his commentary mainly to Noah and Patrick who were looking at the paper files that Simon had handed them as Robin looked at the more detailed analysis on her screen. "Less common symptoms are stiffness, clumsiness, all depending on the area of the brain affected. You won't know yet if these are presenting because they are often hidden by the more common symptoms – fever, photophobia."

"The symptoms are just a result of the brain's attempt to fight off the infection," Robin continued, looking at Noah and Patrick for the first time, nothing showed on her face now except concentration for the task at hand. "Ultimately, what occurs is brain swelling, small intracranial bleeds and cell death. What area of the brain are we talking about here? How fast?"

"Same. Temporal Lobe, except in children when it can hit any area. Matter of days." Simon ran a hand through his spiky bleached blond hair.

"Not good." Robin Leaned back in her chair and looked up at Simon, looking more worried than before. "The drugs we worked on to halt and back-track the effects of encephalitis in the brain?"

"Have helped brain healing in those who naturally fought off the virus, but nothing has proven effective in stopping this particular virus." Simon sat down on the corner of her desk, his concentration completely on her. "It takes advantage of gene activation."

"Perhaps if I had seen this particular virus before," Robin bit out with a glare. She held up a hand when Simon opened his mouth to respond. "Don't, there's no point now."

"Of course there is." Simon leaned over Robin. "We work best when we're yelling and screaming at each other." He turned and looked at the two Drakes. "We're famous for our battles in the lab that lead to brilliant results."

"So you worked together?" Patrick asked, looking back and forth between the two doctors, noting Simon's amusement and Robin's death glare.

"Yes. We worked together. Have you looked at genetics? Maybe there's a gene that helps people combat this virus permutation?" Robin continued.

"There's only three survivors alive. There were more, but they eventually succumbed to other illnesses or causes of death."

"It weakened their immune systems?" Robin asked, worried about the long-term effects.

"It doesn't appear to be the case. The cases have all been in third world locations where other conditions have caused death."

"I want DNA samples, blood. Can you get those?" Robin stopped and frowned. "We're going to need a lot of ventilators."

"The ventilators are on their way. The CDC is helping coordinate. The data on the blood samples are on the key."

"I need actual blood and samples, you know that."

"I'll get it."

"And how did this virus get here?" Robin asked.

"The monkey Luke brought back with him from wherever he was," Patrick said.

"Where's the damn monkey?" Robin and Noah shared a knowing look on Luke's propensity for attracting trouble. Heck, finding it.

"You're not getting near the monkey." Patrick stood up, his voice edged with warning.

"I need to study…" Robin stood up and glared up at him.

"We'll get you samples. You're not going near the monkey and that virus. You won't listen to your father and leave, but you damn well will stay in this lab," Patrick insisted.

"Because you haven't already been exposed and aren't carrying it into my lab right now." Robin continued, ignoring Patrick's curse at her truth of her point. "Just get me blood samples from the monkey and from Luke and all of the patients. We have a lot of brilliant minds to work with here. Let's get this solved."

Simon and Noah walked out to get started coordinating the gathering of samples, Patrick, however, lingered behind.

"What?" Robin lifted up her pad and was about to head back into the lab to organize

"I want you to let me or someone know if you feel even the slightest bit sick."

"I can take care of myself. I've lived with HIV for a long time."

"Can you accept that we're all going to be extremely busy and we need you well?"

Robin nodded and they stood looking at each other for another moment before Patrick turned and walk away.

"Patrick," Robin called out before he was out the door. "Be careful." He turned, gave her a brief nod before disappearing from view.


	4. Chapter 3

**FYI: Scrubs is the couple name for Robin and Patrick. g **

**Thanks for all the great feedback. We appreciate it.**

**Chapter 3**

After the initial study of the gathered of samples, all four doctors were certain that a certain gene mutation enabled Luke and the other survivors to fight off the man-made virus and that something that was found common in all of their blood work could help mimic the same physical actions in the patients who weren't so lucky. It was painstaking work to come up with the needed materials and manufacture it in to a serum that could be delivered to the patients. Not enough serum could be made help all patients at once and decisions had to be made above on who would get what they needed first.

Robin was distantly aware of the life and death decisions being made above, of the lives being saved and of the lives being lost. The bulk of the work they were doing was something only Simon and Robin could do at first while Patrick and Noah were left to do the finish work and delivery.

Twenty-four hours after lock-down the first of the serum was being administered, more was being made, and Noah was now sufficiently trained to do the required lab manipulations. However, his weakened physical condition became obvious and Robin ordered him to get some sleep while Patrick took his turn at the bench.

"All in all, I like surgery better."

"That's an improvement." Robin, dark circles under her eyes looked across the lab bench at her current lab partner. They were currently the only two in the lab with Noah sleeping and Simon running interference with the bureaucrats.

"From what?" Patrick asked, all the while his eyes studying her closely for signs of the illness.

Robin was not unaware of his study, but chose to ignore it. "When we met you assumed I did this kind of work to hide from the world and that surgeons were the only real doctors."

"Yeah, well." Patrick shrugged, his own exhaustion betrayed by the fact that he looked almost as pale as his lab coat. "Faced with this kind of threat. So your father has been chasing this virus for a while?"

"I don't want to talk about my father." Robin put her goggles back over her eyes and bent her head to study her Petri dish.

"What about Doctor Surfer?"

Robin couldn't stop a small laugh from escaping. "He's never even surfed a wave in his life."

"So he's just a pretty boy? A metrosexual?" Patrick sneered.

"You seem rather fastidious yourself."

"This is all natural beauty baby."

Robin grinned and continued her work.

"You should get some sleep, Doctor Scorpio."

"I will. When we know that the serum is working."

"And if it's not?"

"If it's not I've gone without sleep for a lot longer than this. I can catch a power nap on my couch if I need to."

"You need…"

"I know what my body needs. I've been living with HIV for ten years." She snapped.

"So you've said. Excuse me for being concerned."

"I didn't know you knew what concern was. I believe you call concern butting in."

Patrick didn't respond.

"Funny thing is that from the first day I knew you, you were giving your opinion on everything from my social life, sleeping habits to my work habits and career goals. I try to show concern about you and your father and I'm butting in. But feel free to talk about my viral load." She rolled her eyes, her goggles once again on the top of her head as she waited for a reaction to occur in her Petri dish and in the self-contained man in front of her.

"I thought we already agreed I was a jackass."

"Oh, that's right." Robin grinned.

"Don't think I don't realize that your concern was more for my father than me anyway." He looked down at his own work and away from her penetrating stare.

Robin blinked a few times, surprised at the grumpiness of Patrick's comment. Could he really be jealous of his father? Of her relationship with his father? She had, after all, she realized suddenly, got Noah to do things that Patrick had never been able to all those years. Leave the bar, operate again and eventually clean up his life, although it was Patrick who had talked him into rehab.

"I guess it's easier for me not being Noah's daughter to feel compassion and empathy for him," she said quietly.

"Just like I can understand your father doing anything, even risking your everlasting hatred, to protect you."

"Not at all the same thing," Robin said shortly and got off her stool to take the dish to the next stage of serum development. "For the record, Patrick. Despite how difficult you make it, I do care about you too."

>>>>>>>

It was twelve hours later and it appeared that the serum was doing its job. It was now up to the team to determine whether the results were permanent, if the virus was really halted in its track, or if it was a temporary fix the virus was already finding ways around. As Robin sequestered herself in the lab, Noah and Simon were acting as go-betweens for her and her father, although she wasn't exactly welcoming to any messages sent through Simon. The two Scorpios had stubbornness in common and neither Scorpio would make the first move and Robin refused to acknowledge Simon as anything but a medical mind.

"I've got another round of blood samples," Noah, looking well rested and happier than Robin had ever seen him, walked back into the lab.

Robin brushed the wisps of hair out of her weary face and nodded. "Put them there," she said, pointing to the counter near the microscope. "I'll look at them in a minute."

"Are you sure you don't need a break?" he asked for the tenth time in an hour.

Smiling wearily, she shook her head. "No time for that."

"Wearing yourself down isn't going to help them you know?"

"But finding out if the antidote is working will. And that's what I'm here to do."

A voice came from the door to the lab. "You don't have to do it alone."

Robin's eyes closed involuntarily as Simon walked confidently toward them. The truce of the early hours of their partnership had been disappearing quickly as exhaustion began to take hold and the need to work so closely together waned.

"That's why Robert asked me here."

"See that's the thing. This is my lab. Not Robert's." The sarcasm in her voice was evident as she referred to her father by his first name.

Simon smiled at the irritation in her voice. Her fire had been what attracted him to her when they first met. True, Robert had sent him to work with his daughter but Simon had relished the assignment. His feelings for Robin were not part of the plan but they were real. Would she ever believe that?

"What do you want?" The edginess in her voice escalating as his gaze penetrated into her.

"I came to help."

"I don't recall asking for your help with this part. If I need anything, Noah will let you know. Until then, get out of my lab and go play with my father. I'll let you know what I find when I find it."

Simon opened his mouth to say something but stopped as Robin turned her back on him and walked to the microscope to prepare and examine the newest slides. He shook his head and retreated from the lab, having been sufficiently rebuffed by the diminutive researcher for the time being.

Noah looked at Robin. "Want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Her gaze was focused on the slide beneath the scope.

"What happened just now?"

"I kicked him out of the lab. So what? Happens all the time. Especially with him."

Noah couldn't help but chuckle softly. "That's not all it was."

Robin looked at him, her eyes belying the hurt caused by the man who just left the room. "He's someone from my past. I thought what went on with us was real but it wasn't. He was simply there to do my father's bidding."

"Your father cares a great deal about you."

The noise that came from her was short and sharp. "Amazing how those that supposedly care so much are the ones that do the most damage."

Noah felt his face grow warm. Her words couldn't have been more true. He thought back to the years he had abandoned his son and to Patrick's recent offer. His son had offered to save his life yet he had rebuked him as though insulted by the notion. Redemption Patrick had called it.

Robin noticed his silence and knew her words had cut through him. That hadn't been her intention. Before she could say anything, Patrick came thundering into the lab, his plastic protective gown swishing before and after him.

She looked up, annoyed at another interruption. "What do YOU want?"

"Down tiger. I just came to see if you had found anything on the slides."

She sighed heavily. "If everyone would leave us to our work, we might be able to get something done."

"Who's everyone?" Patrick scowled at her.

Neither Robin nor Patrick noticed Noah's beeper sound or his hasty exit from the lab.

"Doesn't matter. Give me half an hour and I'll get you a report. Fair?"

"What the hell is your problem? I thought we were a team here, Doctor Scorpio." Patrick turned to leave.

She snorted sarcastically. "A team huh? We're doing what we have to but when it's all said and done, things will go back to the way they were before."

"I thought we had called a truce and we were friends."

"Friends, sure we're friends while it's convenient for you."

"What's this about Robin?" Patrick looked genuinely puzzled.

"Look, we're all here working together because we have no choice. But as soon as this crisis is over, things will go back to normal. Everyone will go back to what they choose over what they are forced to do because of this epidemic. My father to his work, Simon back to working for my father and seducing other unsuspecting women, you to chasing Carly or whoever the next conquest is."

Patrick started to speak but Robin had already walked away, tucked her hair behind her ears and was staring down the barrel of the scope, searching for any clue that the antidote was working. With an angry scowl he stalked back out, certain that in another moment he would take his stress and exhaustion out on her and not wanting to give her the satisfaction of being able to look better than him.

As he walked back toward the nurse's station, he passed Simon who appeared to be heading back to the lab with a report in hand. "Just a friendly warning, I wouldn't go in there. She's a little testy."

"She's beautiful when she's testy, isn't she?" Simon grinned wickedly and chuckled as he continued to walk past.

Patrick turned and watched as the virologist strode away. The clench in his stomach was unfamiliar and unpleasant. He looked at his watch. He would be sure to be back in half an hour.

>>>>>>>

Simon quietly walked through the lab door he had left through only a few minutes earlier. He had planned to give her space, to let her cool off, but she needed a break anyway and he wasn't willing to wait any longer to make her understand how he really felt about her. Even if she never forgave him, although that was a contingency that he wasn't willing to accept, even if he deserved it for how he had left.

For a moment he let himself enjoy watching her work, efficient as always. Her writing was quick and to the point, neater than most doctors. They had spent many days working together in labs, hers in Paris and sometimes his lab in Geneva. Sometimes working silently and in synch, sometimes loud and passionately as they argued their way past their differences to a genius conclusion that set them back to working silently together again. Then it would start all over again. His partnership with Robin Scorpio had been the most successful and passionate of his career, as well as his personal life. She had to be really hurt to not be able to see that all of that could not have been feigned and he was determined to push her past that today. Now.

He smiled as he heard her small sigh as she realized she was no longer alone in the sanctuary of her lab.

"What do you want now?"

"We need to talk."

"I think we have more important things to do right now. Save people's lives perhaps?"

"This will only take a few minutes if you'll just listen to me."

She rolled her eyes and put her report on the table. She had been on her way to the phone beside her desk to page Patrick when Simon had interrupted her. The report hadn't taken as long as she thought once she looked at the samples. The serum was definitely working, so far. The problem now was that they were running out of the raw materials to manufacture it.

"We need…"

"There's nothing you can do right this second. Please."

Needing to sit down anyway, she sat down on the stool beside the counter and waited for him to begin talking. He hesitated. "Can we go somewhere else? Your office?"

"If you want to talk to me, you do it here." She shook her head.

"Okay, okay." He took a deep breath before delving into the speech he had been practicing over in his mind since he boarded the plane to come to Port Charles.

Robin listened as he explained how Robert had approached him, how he had made his way to Paris and how he had fallen for her. It had gone beyond his assignment.

"The passion we shared, you can't fake that. The way we worked together." Simon walked over to Robin and hesitantly put his hand on her cheek.

Meanwhile, Patrick walked up to the door of the lab. He could hear Simon's voice from the other side. It almost sounded as though he was pleading, cajoling. He recognized the tone well.

The touch of his hand on her cheek was more than she could take. His voice, his tone, the way he was trying to convince her of his sincerity were more than she could handle. "Stop, just stop. Look, you only became involved with me because of my father. The father you knew I thought was dead and yet you allowed me to continue to believe that"

"I couldn't tell you the truth."

Patrick unconsciously moved inside the door.

"You slept in my bed, worked in my lab and the entire time you were lying to me about who you were and about my father being alive. Nothing will erase that. I don't have anything else to say to you and I have no interest in hearing anything else you have to say on the subject. We are nothing but professional colleagues. Temporary professional colleagues. What I need right now is a solution to creating more serum. After that, now that I know you're alive and where you are we can take care of the legalities."

Simon closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I won't agree to that. Not until you believe me."

"That won't happen."

Clear that she wasn't ready to listen to him yet. He silently walked out of the lab, casting an angry glance at Patrick who clearly had been listening in.

"What do you need, Patrick?" Robin asked, having known he was there since the moment he entered the room even though her back was to the door.

Patrick stood still, not saying anything.

"Are you here for the report?" She turned her head to face him.

"I know about Dads letting you down and not being there when you need them," he said instead of asking for the report as he had planned.

"Then you're ahead of me because I haven't had fifteen minutes together to think about it. Until this week I thought he was dead. Quite different. The serum looks to be a success. The data is right there." She hopped off her stool and headed for the centrifuge for the last bit of serum they were making.

"And the guy?"

"Patrick, I really can't think about all that right now. I'm not going to break. I can't. I can't let this virus win. They can't die. Not like…" Robin's voice wavered; she closed her eyes and leaned against the lab bench.

"Are you okay, Robin?" Patrick moved quickly to stand next to her.

"I told you I'm trying not to feel anything right now." She opened her eyes, blinked a few times and turned to face him. "I can't afford the time."

"No. That's not what I mean." He put his hand on his forehead and uttered an oath. "Sit down. I'll be right back." He pushed into a nearby chair and strode out, his white coat flaring out behind him.

A few minutes later, Patrick knelt down next to her and put the nurses' kit on the floor. He stuck the thermometer in her mouth and pulled on surgical gloves to take a blood sample. The fact that she didn't protest was concerning him as much as her pallor and the sheen on her face. A minute later he looked at her temperature and his alarm ratcheted up. Without saying a word he lifted her into his arms and started to carry her out of the lab. That's when she roused herself.

"I'm just tired."

"Just shut up."

"What's going on?" Noah coming down the hall towards them looked worriedly at his son and the woman in his arms and turned to pace them.

"She has a hundred and three. I took a blood sample. We need to check her viral load and white counts too."

Resigning herself, Robin closed her eyes and rested her head on Patrick's chest. His voice, barking out orders for a room and other stuff sounding like it was coming from far away.

Feeling herself settled on a bed she opened her eyes and weakly called out his name.

"You're going to be all right." He knelt down in front of her and stroked her hair off her forehead.

"I might need more serum than the others, because of the HIV."

"Because your immune system might not be up to helping as much. I know. I'll take care of you. Just rest now, and fight." His voice and face betrayed the depth of his concern.

"Something else." Robin's voice was weak and thready.

"Not right now. We got it covered."

"More material. We can get it from the people who are already well, who got the serum." As soon as the words left her mouth everything went black.


	5. Chapter 4

Thanks again for the lovely comments! The more nice comments the faster we write. Yeah, that's blackmail g>

**Chapter 4 **

"You need to get some rest," Noah put his hand on his son's shoulder.

"I'll rest when this is done." Patrick remained bent over the lab table, but he didn't shake his father's hand off Noah noticed.

"If you get sick you won't be able to help her. Doctor Nicholls and I can handle this. Go on." Noah urged, just resisting the urge to stroke his grown-up son's hair like he used to when he was a young boy needing comfort.

Patrick sat back on the stool and ran a hand over his face. "All right." He stood up and looked at his father. "Thanks."

"She'll be all right, Patrick. She's very strong. Stubborn." Noah smiled fondly at the last word. Stubborn was the only thing that got him out of that bar. That and the empathy he saw in her eyes that he didn't understand at the time.

Patrick shrugged wearily. "How are you feeling, Dad?" His eyes narrowed as he studied his father's face.

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking. You'll get to harass me plenty after you get up."

"Good." Patrick walked out of the lab, his father watching after him. After he was gone Noah sat down across from the virologist and got to work.

>>>>>

She shouldn't be in there, was Patrick's first thought as he walked in and saw Robin lying unconscious under the plastic sterile environment. In his hand he held the clipboard with her latest test results, the story they told belied how serene she looked. Her viral load was up, her white count was troubling; all told that her immune system wasn't fighting the virus even with the help of the serum she'd gotten. Right as she usually was, Doctor Scorpio knew she was going to need the stronger dosing Noah and that other doctor were working on. Patrick's mouth flattened into a stiff line at the thought of Simon Nicholls, the annoying English doctor who seemed to think he had the corner of the market on brains and concern for Robin.

The jerk actually looked down on Patrick and his father because they were "just surgeons".

Patrick snorted to himself as he sat down next to the bed and checked out the various medical equipment surrounding her, the oxygen, the filters, the monitors, the IVs. With nothing left to check he finally forced himself to really look at Robin. He hunched forward, a look of concern hardening his features as he heard her breathing. Soon she would require a ventilator. Too soon.

"You need to hang in there, Scorpio. I haven't even gotten to blackmail you into a second date. And what about payoff? I gotta get that sometime, I know you can't resist me."

Patrick closed his eyes and swallowed. "I should have carried you into that elevator. Gotten you the hell out of here. You could have set up a lab somewhere else. And taken your charming friend Nicholls with you. I don't know what you saw in that jerk. He's an arrogant jackass. Fine, fine. You'd say that about me, but at least I can back up my arrogance. All that guy has is his stupid accent and pretty boy hair. I don't know what you saw in him. Good thing you've moved on."

With his eyes closed he didn't see the shadows change as Robert Scorpio stood at the window watching the young doctor talking quietly, urgently to his unconscious daughter. He stood for a moment, listening, before stepping back.

Patrick opened his eyes, his hands itched to touch her to confirm for himself, but he couldn't break the sterile environment and risk her being exposed to other illnesses.

"Scorpio, Robin. You can't give up. I'm not giving up. I need for you to get better. There, happy? I'm admitting it. I look forward to your snippy comments, your endless compassion, and your fast little walk as you try to keep up with me when you want to make a point that I want to avoid. Face it, neither of our days are complete if we don't get to go at it at least once. Don't let me down now. Okay? I promise I won't let you down." Patrick's voice broke on the word promise. His father had made the same promise to their mother.

He let his hand rest for a moment on the outside of the plastic before forcing himself to stand up and walk out. He was just putting the clipboard back into place at the outside of the ICU unit door when the subject of his earlier rant, Simon Nicholls, came walking in. He stopped short when he saw Patrick.

"I thought you were working on the serum," Patrick said tersely, standing up.

"I thought you were going to sleep. Your father has it under control and I wanted to check on her."

"You don't seem to be someone Robin wants checking in on her."

"Whatever is between Robin and I is our business. And above anything else, if you know her at all, she respects my professional skills."

"Which is why you should be in the lab using those skills that are so important to you," Patrick snarled.

"I understand you're tired and worried about your colleague who toiled so tirelessly to help everyone else, but you're treading in territory that is none of your business."

"Don't patronize me. Robin thinks you seduced her at the bidding of her father, and while I don't think that's what happened, on Robert's side, she does. And since she's my patient and I don't want her upset in any way I'm telling you to back off."

The two men stood facing each other, measuring each other. Both seemingly ready to take out the frustration and exhaustion of the past week on each other.

Simon was the first to back off, a mask of professionalism slipping over his face. He looked at Robin through the glass and then back at Patrick. "I'll be in the lab and when Robin's better she'll be the one to say whether I see her or not."

"I'm sure she will."

Patrick turned and looked at Robin one more time before leaving.

>>>>>

Robert stood staring at the man who he had entrusted with his daughter's safety. "Why the hell didn't you tell me you had gotten personally involved with my daughter?"

"Because it was none of your business, quite frankly," Simon's words were cold and clipped.

The older man could feel his blood pressure rising. "None of my business? You take advantage of my daughter, insinuate yourself into her personal life while you're working for me and that's none of my business? You were my most trusted operative."

"I'm not an operative, Robert, I'm a doctor you work with."

"You take orders from me and you crossed the line Simon. You knew that and that's why you didn't tell me of your personal involvement with my daughter. I wanted you to work with her, make sure she was all right. Not seduce her."

Simon sighed heavily. "Look, I did everything you instructed me to do. What happens in my personal life is just that, personal. What Robin and I have has nothing to do with you. She'll see that. I'll make her see that."

"You'll have nothing to do with Robin when she recovers."

"Why, because you say so? You think she's going to listen to you? You let her mourn you, you lied to her for years."

"You lied to her too, Mate. I know my daughter, she'll eventually forgive me, but she won't forgive you."

"You can't help who you fall in love with Robert. Now, if you'll excuse me I'll get back to saving your daughter's life." With that, he walked away and back into the lab leaving Robert glaring after him and thinking on the truth of the doctor's words. Robin wouldn't even have existed had Robert and Anna followed the rules of their jobs.

>>>>

Patrick used the side door, not wanting to walk through the lab and see either his father or that British clod. He'd gone to the doctor's sleeping lounge from Robin's room, but it didn't feel right to be there. The quarantine was mostly over and the rest of the hospital had gotten back to normal, except for this part of the hospital. The lounge that was usually full of overworked residents or on-call doctors had felt like a ghost town. So, he had come here, back to the lab. To Robin's office.

Leaving the office light off, he walked into the small bathroom and closed the door behind him. He bent over and splashed his face in the sink, rubbing his hands over his stubble he looked in the mirror and grimaced. Quarantines and crisis did not agree with him, he actually wished Robin was there to make a snarky comment about it. With a sigh he opened the medicine cabinet. Since his earlier adrenaline rush would keep him awake a bit longer, he figured he might try to do something about his appearance before he tried to get some sleep. Instead of a razor or feminine fripperies there was a line of pills. Robin's cocktail.

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and a pain in his chest as he looked at them lined up so neatly. The pills that kept her alive. The pills that were failing her now. Some were the cocktails, some were to combat the worst of the side effect. Patrick shook his head and reached in to pick one up and read the warnings. To see her normally you would never know she was sick. Never knew she was holed up somewhere two or three times a day taking pills to keep herself alive. Suffering over side effects that probably no one but her doctor knew about.

"Stop," he ordered himself, putting the bottle back and slamming the medicine cabinet closed. "Stop." This wasn't like him, this loss of hope he was facing. But then again, he admitted, this wasn't a situation where he could stick a knife in someone and make it all better. He clicked off the light and walked out of the bathroom and looked towards the lab. This time the cure was in there, in Robin's domain.

He walked over to the couch and sat down and began to pull off his shoes. Too tired to groan, he stretched his body on the couch and pulled the blanket off the back and fell asleep.

>>>>>

Robin shifted restlessly in her enclosed bed. Her voice was weak as she tried to call out for the one person every sick child wants near. "Mom?" Mac watched her carefully, fear gripping him.

"Robin, you can't leave us. You've got to fight. I'll call Anna."

She seemed to hear him. His voice calmed her movements and she seemed more at peace.

Robert had come into the room and heard the exchange. "She can't come in here. We're in lock down in this part of the hospital."

Mac stood and faced his older brother. "I'm going to call Anna and she's going to visit her daughter."

"Not your call Mac."

Mac moved closer. He had always respected his brother, thought he knew what was best. Now all he felt was anger. Not even for himself, but for Robin. She had mourned her father for years. It was only intensified when she lost Stone. And all this time, Robert had been alive and had knowingly kept himself away from the daughter he had claimed to love so much.

"No, it's not your call, Robert."


	6. Chapter 5

Thanks for the lovely reviews! It feeds the demanding muse.

>>>>  
**Chapter 5**  
>>>>

"Mom?"

A beautiful woman with chocolate brown eyes and shoulder length auburn hair came walking out of a bright haze. She was petite, yet appeared willowy. She had a dazzling smile replete with a dimple in each cheek.

"I've missed you." Patrick, standing in his blue scrubs, looking dazzled, held his hands out to touch the vision in front of him. She clasped his outstretched hands and squeezed. He gasped at the feel of her.

"I know you have, but it's time for you to let go of your pain and move on. I just wanted you to know how proud I am of the amazing man and doctor you've become, Patrick."

"I've been told I'm insufferable." Patrick gave her a flirtatious smile, ignoring her more serious words. "And it's all your fault."

"You have a lot of your father in you, as well." She tightened her grip on his hands when he made to pull away. "I know you're upset with him right now, that you have been since I died. I'm glad you've finally admitted how much you needed him."

"Just in time for him to leave me again." Patrick's voice was hard with anger.

"He thinks that's what he deserves for hurting you and he doesn't want to put you at risk to save his own life."

"He knows that's ridiculous. It's a safe surgery, Mom. He can…"

"Stop! You and your father always trying to gross me out with the details." She laughed and shook her head. "Don't give up on him. And if you can't get through to him there's a spitfire of a doctor who's proven more than capable at saving Noah from himself."

"Robin." Patrick's voice roughened as he said her name.

"You care for her, Patrick."

"That's what scares me. Those are the ones that leave. She's so sick, Mom. What if I can't save her?" His eyes filled with tears.

"It was my time to go baby. That doesn't mean that it's Robin's. Sometimes medicine isn't enough, Patrick. Living takes heart."

Patrick woke with a start in Robin's darkened office. He touched his cheek, shocked to find wetness there.

>>>>>>>

Simon looked down at Robin. He had to get through to her and this was his chance while the younger Dr. Drake wasn't watching like a hawk. "Robin? Can you hear me?" He sat down on the single chair at her bedside.

Her body moved a bit, responding to the sound of his voice. He smiled. "See I knew you didn't hate me. We can get through this. I love you Robin. Don't give up on us."

The faster beating on the heart monitor caught his attention. Her heart rate had accelerated as he talked. "Calm down sweetheart."

Her body began to rock slowly at first. She appeared to be struggling against her surroundings. An alarm sounded and a nurse rushed into the room. "You have to leave, Doctor."

Simon began to protest but was halted when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Patrick. His expression was hard as he pushed Simon from the room. "I told you to stay away from her. If you ever gave a damn about her you'll leave her be." Patrick shoved the man across the hallway and into the wall.

"I love her Dr. Drake! And she loves me even though she's angry." Simon lifted his hands, ready for a fight.

"Right now her health is more important than your ego. Stay out of her room." With a disgusted look at the blond doctor's pugnacious stance, he turned to the nurse who had just come out of Robin's room. "Is she stable?" The nurse nodded. "Please call Mac Scorpio. I want a guard posted outside this room." He pointed to Simon. "This man is not allowed in there unless I say so."

"This is not over." Simon walked angrily back toward the lab.

Patrick went back into Robin's room and sat down. It had just been a dream, he knew that, but it was still vivid. His mother looking like she looked before she fell ill. Her words ringing in his ears. He could feel her warmth on his wrists.

"It seems my mother likes you, Scorpio. I always knew she would." Patrick rubbed a hand over his face. "I don't know how to do this." He sighed and leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. "My mom, who as you already know is a genius since she worshipped the ground I walked on and told me how wonderful I am, thinks that it'll take more than medicine to get you out of this and back to sparring with me on a daily basis."

Patrick closed his eyes for a moment before continuing. "So fine, I'm going to eat my own words. I told you that this life wasn't a dress rehearsal so I'm going to admit that not only do you drive me crazy, but that I am crazy about you. Not sure what the hell it is about you." Patrick shook his head. "But my day is just not complete if I don't get to drive you nuts at least once, if I don't get to see you. I'm fascinated by everything you do that I think doctors shouldn't do. And I want you to turn the endless compassion you give my father and everyone else on me."

"And I want to kiss you so bad it's keeping me awake at night. And I haven't so much as kissed anyone else in longer than I want to admit. So fight this and come back to us. To me."

Patrick sat and watched her for five. Ten. Fifteen minutes. Finally, frustrated, he stood up and walked out.

>>>>>>>

Anna ignored the protest of the guard attempting to block her entrance into the hospital. "Ma'am, you can't come in there."

"Bloody hell I can't. My daughter is in there and she needs me."

"I have orders."

"I don't give a damn about your orders. The police commissioner called me; it's his niece, my daughter that I'm here to see. Would you like to check with him and waste my time and his or let me go see my daughter?"

"All you needed to do is tell me who you are. The Commissioner told us to let you in." The guard opened the door and let her pass.

Robert felt her glare on his back before he heard her ask for Mac and her daughter's room number. He turned, waiting for the blast that was sure to come, but he moved past him as if he wasn't there and towards Bobbie who stood at the nurse's station.

"Bobbie, where's my Robin?"

Robert started to speak but Anna turned quickly and held up her hand. "I will deal with you later. Right now, my daughter is more important."

"Our daughter." Robert's voice was calm, a smile touched his lip at the sight of Anna's fire.

"You gave up the title of father when you let her believe you were dead. I'll shoot you later." She turned back to Bobbie who came out from behind the desk and led the way to Robin's room.

"Why is there a police guard on her room?" Anna asked as they walked into the CCU ante-room.

"Robin's doctor is a bit zealous about any visitors who might agitate her."

"I bet it's her so-called father that's pissing her off."

"Actually, despite her fury with Robert his presence calms her."

"I guess I can understand…." Anna's voice broke off and tears filled her eyes as she saw her little girl lying in the bed covered with the sterile environment that was protecting her from additional threats to her already compromised immune system. "Bobbie, can she hear me?"

"No one can tell us for sure. I think that she can." Bobbie's eyes were kind.

Anna carefully opened the door and walked to the bed, slowly sinking in the chair sitting beside the bed. "Luv, I'm so sorry for not getting here sooner. But I'm here now. I'm not leaving your side." Anna pressed her hand against the plastic, displaying the bracelet that Robin had mailed to her after her move back to Port Charles, eliciting a promise that Anna would come to Port Charles to return it, as she had done in Paris after they had been reunited.

Anna lost track of the time she sat telling Robin about her latest adventure, about making plans for her return to Port Charles after a decade and about how they would make Robert suffer. She was completely unaware of her surroundings until she heard a commotion in the hallway. She turned to see Mac entering the room, a pissed off look on his face.

Not wanting whatever he had to say to be overheard by Robin who she was certain could hear her, she got up and walked into the ante room. "Mac." She slid comfortably into the arms of her brother-in-law. "She looks so…"

"She's going to be fine. She's your daughter."

"And yours, Mac. You did a fine job with my little girl." She caressed his cheek and moved out of his embrace to stand on her own two feet again, her spine ramrod straight. "Why the guard?"

"I don't have the entire story. There's this doctor that came with Robert, Simon Nicholls, his presence upsets Robin. Even when she's…like this. Doctor Drake has barred him from this room and asked me for a guard to keep him out."

"Doctor Simon Nicholl?" Anna asked, her voice incredulous. At Mac's nod she stormed past him and into the hall. "Where the hell is Simon Nicholl?"

"He's in Lab 7." Doctor Noah Drake stopped his conversation with Bobbie to answer. "Hello, I'm Doctor Noah Drake."

"Are you the Doctor I need to thank for keeping that vermin Nicholls away from my little girl?" Anna asked.

"That would be my son, Patrick."

"Could you show me where this Lab is?" she asked. "I'm Anna Devane. Sorry to be so rude, but I have a couple of murders to commit."

"I'll certainly show you. I knew your, um, Robert way back when."

"You dated Bobbie Spencer and Tiffany Donnelly. I remember hearing about you."

"Does everyone know my father in this town?" Patrick came walking out of the lab, a folder in his hand. "Hello, I'm Doctor Patrick Drake."

"Thank you for keeping that slimy Brit out of my daughter's room. Is he in there?" At Patrick's nod she stormed past him into the lab.

"I can see where Robin gets her beauty and her spine." Noah chuckled and shook his head. "Are these Robin's latest labs?" Noah held his hand out for the folder.

"Running the new serum in the virus in her blood sample, it seems like it would work."

"Then we should have enough made to administer it," Noah said.

"I'll go beat a dose out of him if I have to. Why don't you prep Robin's IV?"

"Sure." Noah raised an eyebrow at his son, but didn't say anything before walking away.

Patrick walked up to the door and pressed it open slightly.

"So all this time you've been in my not-so-dead husband's employ," Anna said furiously. "What the hell was he thinking? You're good Nicholls, I thought you really cared for my daughter. I'm not easily fooled."

"I did. I do. Robert sent me to work with her because she was already working on the drug we thought we'd need for this virus we suspected was out there and because he wanted to learn more about her. Make sure she was safe."

"What about marrying her? Was that part of your assignment?"


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

>>>>>>>

"What about marrying her? Was that part of your assignment?" Anna snarled and grabbed the taller man by the lapels of his lab coat and shoved him back until he hit the wall. "Then leaving her a week later with a broken heart and a piece of useless paper. Was that part of your assignment to devastate my daughter?"

Patrick's breath caught in his throat and he pushed the door open wider to better see the pair facing off. Despite her shorter height, Anna seemed to be towering over the other doctor. Just like her daughter, Patrick acknowledged, reveling in the panic on the other man's face.

"Did my husband order you to do that?" Anna pushed him back into a lab table.

"No. No! That's not how it was!" Even if Simon hadn't been raised to not hit women he knew that this woman would have him down on his knees in a second. Or worse. "I love, Robin. I love her!"

"Then explain yourself, Nicholls before I murder you and dump your body in the river," Anna ordered.

Patrick crossed his arms and tried to wrap his mind around it all. All this time he thought it was Jason who had made Robin Scorpio the closed off, skittish woman she was. This blew everything he had assumed to smithereens. And it was clear that this man still had a hold on her, Robin's reaction to him, even when unconscious showed him that. That and the fact she had never even mentioned him.

"What exactly are you? Are you an agent or a doctor?" Anna demanded, ignoring Simon's attempt to pull her hands off him.

"I work on Robert's team, he does containment and I do cure."

"Robin knew you, your work."

"All completely valid and above-board. Started long before I met Robert Scorpio. He recruited me."

"A doctor with an Indiana Jones complex. Just the kind of man who's perfectly suited to sweeping Robin off her feet. Was the seduction part of your assignment?" Anna sneered.

"Robert never knew about our relationship, at least not from me. It wasn't his damn business!"

"That's something, I guess." Anna let go, but didn't move back, keeping the blond man scrunched up against the wall. "Why marry her and leave."

"I didn't plan to get married, we were on vacation, we got carried away. When we got back to Paris Robert ordered me with him to try to find and contain this virus. I couldn't tell her where I was going and I couldn't risk bringing it back to her. I didn't want Robin anywhere near it with her HIV status. Look at what it's doing to her dammit!"

"Great job you did protecting her," Patrick slammed into the lab and strode up to Simon, getting in his face.

"Mind your damn business!"

"Robin is my business," Patrick bit out.

Anna watched Patrick, a speculative look on her face.

"Because she's your patient or because you want her?" Simon sneered.

Patrick ignored him and walked over to where he had been working before being attacked by Agent Devane. He picked up a vial and made to walk out, casting an impressed look at Robin's mother as he passed by her again.

"You can't take that!" Simon called out.

"The hell I can't." Patrick walked out, certain that Anna would take care of any interference.

>>>>>>>

"She's going to be all right." Anna walked up behind Robert who was watching Robin through the glass window to her room. Her voice was quiet and firm, but her former partner, former husband heard the underlying edge of fury.

Robert sighed before turning to look at his former partner. "She's got your strength. It couldn't go any other way." He looked wary even as he drank in her nearness.

"There's a lot of other ways it could have gone, Scorpio. If you hadn't played dead all this time."

"Mac was a better father than I was."

"Save the self-pitying martyr crap for someone who might buy it!" Anna hissed.

"Not in front of the child, Luv." Robert motioned through the window and attempted a charming smile.

"If I was armed you'd be dead."

"Ironic." Robert rubbed his forehead wearily, but didn't dare to completely close his eyes.

"She needed you, Robert. I needed you."

Robert's eyes widened at Anna's admission. "I needed for you to be alive, both of you. Our daughter has already ripped me a new one about that, but there you have it. I can show you the case files, but until Frisco was promoted I couldn't be assured of your safety."

"Why'd you trust them?"

"They didn't know you were alive, not until you showed up in Pine Valley. If I was doing what they wanted they had no reason to touch Robin. But no, I didn't completely trust them. I had people of my own watching her. Always."

"Watching her get HIV? Watching her get involved with that mafia hit man and Bobbie's psycho daughter…"

"She was alive."

Anna pressed her hands against the window and stared at Doctor Patrick Drake watching over their daughter.

>>>>>

Patrick saw Robin's parents leave the ante room out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't take his focus off Robin. She should be waking up any minute now.

"Come on, Scorpio, General Hospital needs you. Who else is going to keep my ego at a manageable size so I fit in the OR?" Patrick sat down in the chair next to the bed. "The sooner you wake up the sooner we can remove the bubble. Unless of course you want to leave it up for a while. I saw this movie once, about the boy in the bubble. Well they got this hot chick, Tawny Kitean in her prime I think, and she -"

"Don't you dare!" Robin's voice was raspy, but forceful.

Patrick's face broke into a grin and he leaned forward. "I was just getting to the good part." He winked at her.

"Water?" Robin blinked and tried to clear her throat.

Patrick picked up the cup of ice chips and opened the side of her plastic covering. He had scrubbed well before coming in and put on surgical gloves in preparation for this moment. He scooped some out and pushed them between her lips. He studied her as she closed her eyes and sucked them, reveling in the soothing coolness on her dry throat.

"Thanks. Don't close that again."

"Your T-cell count isn't back up yet."

"What is it? How low did it get?"

Patrick sighed, reluctant to answer. "It got down just above 100 at one point. It's moved back up to 350 since we administered the serum. "

"No more plastic."

They communicated with their eyes for a moment before Patrick nodded and stood up and undid the protective environment. He switched off the filters and the oxygen tank before sitting back down.

"I'm still going to limit visitors."

"My Dad?"

"Your mother just took him outside. I've seen your mother in action so I don't think it's just to talk."

"My Mom's here?" Robin's eyes teared up. "She's gonna kick his ass." She looked pleased at the idea.

"I can interrupt and tell them you're awake. Although maybe you should get some sleep first?"

"I've slept enough. What day is it? What's going on?"

"You were the last patient with an active virus. Just a few patients left who'll be discharged today, the rest of the hospital is back to normal."

"Casualties?" Robin asked, a look of fear on her face.

Patrick swallowed heavily and avoided meeting her eyes.

"Patrick?"

"Five people died, including Doctor Tony Jones."

"Tony?" Robin's voice quavered and tears slid down her cheeks. Her hands came up to cover her face.

Patrick put his hand just over her head and then realized he was still wearing gloves. With a frown he took them off and put his hand on Robin's head. "His family was with him to say goodbye. Monica. Alan. Luke." He hoped she could find some comfort in his words. He stroked her hair.

Robin nodded to let him know she'd heard and rubbed the tears off her cheek and looked up at him. "When?" she asked.

"Right after you collapsed. It happened quickly."

"What about the serum?"

"We didn't have enough made in time." Patrick looked down at the ground. He was startled by Robin's hand coming to rest on his head. He took her hand and looked up at her. They sat silently for a few minutes, their brown eyes drowning in the other's.

"You look like hell, Doctor Drake."

Patrick chuckled and shook his head. "Checking me out from your sick bed, Scorpio?" Patrick preened.

"I meant you look tired." Robin laughed. "You should get some sleep."

"Trying to kick me out after all I've done?"

"No. I...I." Robin stopped and took a deep breath and looked down at their joined hands and then back up at his face. "Thank you for saving my life."

"Was that really so hard to say?" The catch in Patrick's voice belied the tease.

"Just a bit." Robin smiled, her eyes beginning to close.

"Get some rest, Robin. I'll send your parents in soon. And your Uncle Mac." He stood up, his body obviously stiff with exhaustion.

"Patrick." Robin grabbed his wrist.

"Yeah?"

"How's Noah?"

"He's fine. You can butt in to my personal business after you get some sleep, I promise. Over dinner."

Robin smirked at him and closed her eyes and immediately fell back asleep.

Patrick watched her sleep for a moment before turning and walking out.


	8. Chapter 7

**Remember, the more feedback, the faster we're inspired to write…. g> **

**Chapter 7 **

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"She's going to be all right?" Noah asked when Patrick came out of CICU.

Patrick nodded and toyed with the pen he carried in his left hand.

"Why so grim, then?"

Patrick shook his head and walked past his father down the hall, his white coat flaring out behind him in his rush.

"Patrick?" Noah called out. When Patrick didn't slow down he walked quickly after him. "Patrick. Son?"

Suddenly Patrick stopped and turned around, his brown eyes spitting fire. "Don't you call me, Son," he hissed.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Noah reached his son, more concerned than insulted.

"That, that woman." Patrick pointed back down the hall. "Has more courage in her pinky finger than you or I have in our entire bodies."

"Probably, but what are you talking about right now?" Noah asked reasonably.

"She wouldn't, hasn't let herself die. Shows endless compassion for everyone around her. She…" Patrick broke off and put a hand over his chest and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. Another. His head dropped and he swayed a bit.

"Patrick, are you all right?" Noah put his hand on his son's shoulder.

Patrick flinched at his touch and backed away, his eyes snapping open. He shook his head and tried to turn away. "Forget it. I'm not going into this again."

Noah grabbed his arm again. "I wanted to tell you that if you're still willing I'll take you up on your offer of a liver."

Patrick stopped and turned back to his father, his eyes wet, looking hopeful.

"You're right, about everything. This nightmare showed me I can be of use. That's what I was waiting to tell you. I hope that you meant what you said about redemption. For us." Noah still gripped Patrick's arm.

After staying silent for a moment, Patrick finally spoke. "I understand now, Dad."

"You understand?" Noah shook his head in confusion.

"I don't know what I would have done if the unthinkable happened. If she had died." Patrick's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I didn't think you knew," Noah said, surprised.

"I never wanted to know. I never wanted to feel as much for someone as you felt for Mom that it destroyed me." Patrick rubbed his hands over his face and let out a deep breath. "She came storming into my life only months ago and now she's…vital."

"Scary, isn't it? Before your mother I wasn't the settling down type myself."

"I've heard some stories since coming to Port Charles." Patrick dropped his hands and smiled weakly at his father.

"Let's get you some sleep. I have a liver in there to take care of."

"Not too long. I want to monitor Robin's recovery."

"I'll take care of that while you're sleeping."

"Thanks, Dad."

>>>>>

Noah had found Anna and Robert in the waiting room arguing. "To your corners," he ordered.

Both looked at him, annoyed and stunned at the interruption. He smiled at their expressions. "Robin regained consciousness. Patrick was able to remove the plastic bubble and she's sleeping peacefully now. I thought the two of you might want to see her. One two conditions – no fighting in her room and if she gets upset both of you will leave and won't be allowed back until she's completely recovered. Got it?"

"I want to see her first," Anna demanded.

"Why? We can go in together," Robert protested.

"Over my dead body. You can wait. You've done enough damage. She needs me, I'm her mother."

Noah held up his hands to let Robert know he was on his own when it came to dealing with the fiery woman.

Once Anna had scrubbed to her satisfaction, she walked into Robin's room. Her tears streamed down her face as she touched her daughter's hand. When Robin felt her touch, she opened her eyes slowly. "Mom?" Her voice was weak but clear.

"I'm right here Luv. I'm not going anywhere."

Robin smiled. "Patrick said you were here."

"That Patrick, he seems like a nice guy."

"Are we talking about the same guy? Patrick Drake?"

Anna laughed. "Yeah that's the guy. He's been very, um, protective of you."

"Momentarily weakness on his part. I'm sure he'll be over it in a day or so. Maybe someone should check him for a fever."

"He's done an admirable job of handling your father and your husband." Anna chuckled.

"Shhh! No one here knows about Simon."

"Uh-oh."

"What do you mean uh-oh, Mom?"

"Well it appears the cat is out of the bag so to speak."

Robin groaned and closed her eyes. "Who knows?"

"Patrick. He overheard me having a talk with Dr. Nicholls."

"Damn."

"I'm sorry Luv. I had no idea it was a secret."

>>>>>

Patrick had been sure that sleep would come now that Robin was awake but it still eluded him. All he could think about was how weak she sounded when she first spoke.

"Dammit Drake, get a hold of yourself. Scorpio is going to be fine. She's got her mother, father and _husband_ here to help her. She doesn't need you."

He closed his eyes again to try to sleep. He was saved from failure by the sound of his pager. All that was there was Robin's room number. He threw the blanket back and raced for her room.

Noah was outside the door and motioned for him. "I had a feeling you wouldn't actually be sleeping."

"Good instincts. What's wrong?"

"Robert just went in to talk to Robin. Thought you might want to monitor her vitals. You might need to rush in, all knight in shining armor-like."

Patrick smirked at his father but kept a close eye on the monitors still keeping track of Dr. Scorpio's health.

Inside the room he watched as Robert moved closer to Robin's bed. She inched away as much as she could in the small hospital bed.

"Don't touch me Robert."

"Come on now Luv."

"Don't you dare 'Luv' me!"

Anna watched closely as the two began their sparring. She was ready to jump in and lead Robert out by the ear if necessary. She caught a glimpse of the young Dr. Drake outside the window and realized he had the same idea in mind. She smiled at the thought of this young man looking out for her daughter. They both seemed to have met their match in each other.

"Can't we call a truce? I know you're mad as hell at me. But you are my daughter and believe it or not, I do love you."

"I don't believe it. Why should I? You let me grieve for you for years. You sent one of your minions to spy on me. And then you show up here without warning."

"I know you don't understand why I did the things I did. Maybe you never will. But know that when I saw you lying in this bad, covered by that plastic and hooked up to all these machines, I knew that if something happened to you and I never told you I love you, I would regret it for the rest of my life. Me being around is obviously upsetting you and I know Patrick is probably out there watching me, ready to throw me out. So I'm going to go. But I'll only be a phone call away if you need me."

Without waiting for a response, he walked out of her room with a nod to Patrick and Noah. Robin started to cry as Anna held her. "Why can't I hate him?"

"Because he's your father and you love him."

"But I can't forgive him. Not yet."

"I know."

Patrick waited a few moments before interrupting the mother/daughter time. "Sorry to intrude. I just need to check on my most ornery patient."

Anna stood and smiled. "I'll be outside."

Patrick checked Robin's blood pressure. "A little high. Not surprising after talking to your dad."

She smirked. "I feel like a zoo animal with everyone watching me."

"Keep getting better at this pace and you'll be out of here in no time."

"Don't tease."

Patrick leaned closer. "I don't tease about medicine. We'll talk more about teasing when you get out of here. You still owe me a second date."

Robin looked at him, surprised. "I didn't think you'd want to go out with me again."

"And why not? You weren't that dull."

Robin laughed. "Two reasons actually. Carly for one."

"Carly Corinthos?"

"Do you know another Carly?"

It was Patrick's turn to laugh. "Well no. Do you honestly think I was interested in her?"

Robin nodded.

"Damn Scorpio. I thought you could read people better. I only went out with her to get to you. Evidently it worked!"

Her face flushed. "I told you why I didn't think you should go out with her."

"So what was the second reason?"

"You found out about Simon."

"That he's your husband you mean?"

She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. "Biggest mistake of my life."

Patrick sat down on the edge of her bed. "We all make mistakes. Besides, what makes you think I care if you're married to that loser?"

Robin looked at him. "You don't like him do you?"

Patrick shook his head. "He's cocky. That's my job." Besides, he thought, that jerk hurt you.

Robin laughed again. What was it about this man who could always make her laugh, even when it infuriated her? "So when do I get to go home?"

"That anxious for our date?"

"That anxious for my own clothes and my own bed."

"Hopefully only a couple more days." His pager sounded. "Duty calls. If you need anything, you page me got it?"

She nodded then closed her eyes to sleep.


	9. Chapter 8

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**Chapter 8 **

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People filled the house, circling around the couch where Robin was curled up and spilling into the dining room and kitchen of the sparsely furnished cottage. Yet, through all the din Robin could almost always feel his eyes on her. Attentive. Unaccountably intense. For the first time since she had come back to Port Charles she felt completely at home as her family and friends filled the house, Uncle Mac, Felicia, Georgie, Dillion, their wedding bands glinting under the lights, Maxie, Jessie, her parents – her parents! – Liz, Lucky, Luke, Lulu, Nicolas, Alan, Monica, new friends like Noah, all gathered to welcome her home and thank her for doing her job and saving their lives. Bobbie and Lucas had even stopped by for a while, but had left early, still in mourning for Tony.

Simon had tried to show up, but her father had nipped that in the bud outside on the walk to the house. And it wasn't a quiet confrontation, even though everyone tried to talk over it and were too polite to inquire what was going on. Well, everyone but Lulu was too polite to ask. Her mother had succinctly summed it up as a bad mistake and a look telling the teen to let it go.

And then there was Patrick. Even when he was engaged in conversation with someone, and she couldn't help but notice that he had had an intense conversation with her father, he seemed to be watching her. Then again, she only knew that because she was watching him. What was it about near death experiences that made everything sharper and more urgent? That was exactly how he looked and felt to her now. Dare she admit, even in her head, that he looked not only more gorgeous and sexy than ever, but more dear? Even in her head that sounded cheesy and pathetic, but for one night she forced herself to not care. She had survived and he had a large hand in that. Could just be a patient-doctor crush, she rationalized.

Watching him talk with Lucky she had to amend her previous thoughts, he seemed even more cocky than ever. Every time someone thanked him for caring for them or for Robin he accepted it as his due. He didn't brush it off like she tended to do. He reveled in the attention. It would have driven her nuts even a month ago, now she kind of liked it. Not that she would admit it. She wasn't that euphoric about getting another chance at life.

Patrick, in fact, was watching Robin closely tonight and the moment he saw her eyes drooping he announced to the gathered crowd that it was time to hit the road as the patient needed her rest. She gave a token protest, but the truth was she hadn't been allowed out of bed for this long yet and she was tired. Her weariness, however, momentarily disappeared when she saw her mother put on her coat.

"Where are you going?" She asked from her vantage point on the couch, disappointment and a touch of panic in her voice.

"Your father and I still have some things to work out. Doctor Junior Drake will make sure you're taken care of. I'll see you tomorrow." Anna leaned down and bussed her on both cheeks. "I love you baby girl."

"I love you too. Try not to get arrested."

Anna's laughter was still ringing out as she walked out the door.

Robin turned to find Patrick watching her, his face unreadable. She squirmed under his attention.

"How did you get this duty?" she finally asked. "Not that I need someone to take care of me," she hastily added. "I'm fine." To prove how fine she was she uncurled her legs and went to stand up.

"Oh no." Patrick swooped in and picked her up in his arms.

"I can walk to my room!" she protested as he easily carried her up the stairs and put her down on her bed. She tried not to think too hard on the fact that Patrick was in her bedroom.

"You've barely walked in the past two weeks and you're exhausted. Don't lie to me," he cut off her protest. "I am your doctor."

"You're a surgeon and you're fired," Robin grumbled and cleared her throat. "I can manage to get myself ready for bed." Her face was on fire.

"Sure, take away all the fun perks." Patrick sighed dramatically. "Fine. I'll be back in ten minutes and if you're not ready for bed I'm doing it myself." He rubbed his hands together and winked at her.

"Aren't you going home?" she asked in confusion.

"I promised your parents I'd watch over you while they finish working out their stuff. Don't worry Scorpio. I'll stay in the guest room like a good little boy."

"Let me get that ready for you." Robin stood up.

"Taken care of. Go change. Ten minutes." He walked out of the room leaving Robin frowning after him.

>>>>>>

The waiting room was bright white; the fluorescent lights burned his tired brown eyes. On the seat next to him was the thick gross anatomy book he had tried and failed to study as he waited. The only thing he could think about was his mother and father in that room and him waiting impotently here for the past four hours. A medical student, but still unable to do anything but sit and wait and pray.

His hand shook even as he contemplated yet another cup of coffee. There were a few other people in the surgical waiting room, even in the middle of the night when only emergency surgeries were performed. And it was an emergency, his mother made sure of it so that her husband would be the one to operate. Her faith in him unshakeable and despite Noah's own urging that someone less emotionally involved perform the surgery.

Patrick bent over and rested his face in his hands. Just then he heard the muted footsteps of shoes covered in surgical booties. He took a deep breath and looked up, his heart pounding. It was his father. He jumped up and tried to find a message in the face before. He looked infinitely older. Years older.

Too old.

"Dad?" Patrick's rusty voice croaked.

"I'm sorry, Son. I wasn't able to save her. Robin is dead."

Patrick awoke with a start, his bare torso and face shiny with sweat. His heart was pounding and his respirations too fast. He looked around in the unfamiliar, dark room trying to get his bearings. To separate now from then, from there to here. Where was here? This wasn't the hotel room at the Metrocourt that he'd been calling home for the past months.

Guest room. The guest room in Robin's house. She's fine. He kept repeating these things to himself as he tried to clear the panicked haze. But it was no use. He had to see for himself as he had every night for the past three weeks.

He pushed the tangled blanket off his body revealing that he was clad in blue scrub bottoms and got up and padded through the dark hallway to the partially open door of Robin's master bedroom. The dim light from the window lit Robin's peacefully sleeping figure, but still stuck in his dream and in the darkness she didn't look real so he walked into the room until he stood at her bedside.

She lay on side facing the empty side of the bed, her hair covering her cheek. He kneeled down on the floor and listened to her breathing, his own slowing down to match hers at this confirmation that she was all right. Her blanket was pushed down to her waist and he could see the pale skin of her back and shoulders above her white tank top.

Unable, or just unwilling to stop himself, he raised himself to lean over and gently brush the hair off her cheek so he could see her face. At his touch she shifted in the bed and her breath hitched. He held his own until he was sure she was not waking up. More awake now from the close call Patrick backed up and watched her for a moment more before turning and heading for the door.

"Patrick?"

His hand was resting on the doorknob and he froze. He slowly turned his head to see her head raised and her torso turned toward him. The huskiness of her sleepy voice made him shiver.

"I was just, uh, checking that you were all right."

"In the middle…at 2 in the morning?" She turned and sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Habit. From the hospital." He let his eyes linger over her delectable form.

She dropped her hands and studied him for a long moment. He swallowed audibly.

"Are you okay?" she asked and bent her knees and wrapped her arms around them.

"Yeah. I told you…"

"You had a nightmare. What was it about?"

Patrick smiled and shook his head. "How in the world…"

"I can tell." She patted the bed at her feet.

He tilted his head and asked a silent "really" at which she nodded and he shrugged.

He sat down at her feet, his own feet firmly on the ground. Relief and bemusement was swiftly giving way to arousal.

"What was your nightmare about?"

Patrick cleared his throat and looked down at his hands. How much, if anything, did he really want to share? Could he tell her how she had become entwined with his mother in his dreams? What would she make that mean? He didn't even know, or want to know, what it meant.

"About the hospital."

"The virus?" She reached over and picked up the glass of water he had left at her bedside when he had tucked her in earlier.

"No. My mother's surgery."

"Oh." She reached out and put her hand on his. He turned his palm until their fingers were entwined. Gripping in the dark.

"I haven't been that emotionally invested in a surgery, in a patient since then. Not until now." The words came out without his conscious decision to say it. He braced himself and turned to look at her. Even in the dark her sympathy shined through, but it didn't feel like pity. Not from her. He blew out a breath.

"Perhaps you're maturing as a doctor?" she said.

Patrick quirked his lips at her comment and shrugged.

"Will you be able to get back to sleep?"

"Eventually." He didn't want to let go of her hand and go back down the hall to his room, but figured he was in for a slap if he suggested anything else.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Patrick shook his head, his heart pounding. Where were all of his smooth lines now when he needed them?

"Do you, maybe, want to sleep here with me?" Robin asked hesitantly. Before Patrick could answer she rushed on. "Sleep. Just sleep!" Even in the dark he could see her blush, but he could also appreciate the courage it took to ask.

"Yeah." He squeezed her hand. "I'll behave. If you insist." He tacked on with a chuckle.

She scooted over and lifted the edge of her covers. "This is a one night only deal and if you cross the line you're tossed out in the cold on your ass."

"My fine ass." Patrick waggled his eyebrows at her as she slid underneath the blankets onto the warm spot she just vacated.

"Patrick," she warned.

"Oh go to sleep, Doctor Sourpuss." Patrick waited until, after a quick glare at him, she lay back down on her side, her back to him. He slid behind her and slowly gathered her into his arms, waiting for and hoping she wouldn't warn him back. He let out the breath he didn't even know he was holding when she just settled up against him.

He closed his eyes and fell back asleep.


	10. Chapter 9

Happy Valentine's Day - Glad you're enjoying this story! We are too. Athena & Jackie

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**Chapter 9  
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She felt like she was on a cloud. Warm and safe. A smile widened across her face as she burrowed closer to the warmth. Her eyes flew open as she realized that this was no dream or near death experience, the warmth behind her, surrounding her, was a person. Her mouth dropped open as the events of the night before came back to her and illuminated the current situation.

She was in bed with Patrick Drake.

She closed her eyes in mortification as she realized it was an aroused Patrick Drake.

Her face burned hotly as she fervently hoped he was still sleeping.

Very slowly she disengaged his arm from around her waist and slid forward to the edge of the bed. It was a near thing but she managed to upright herself before falling in a heap on the floor at the end of the bed. She turned and saw that Patrick was indeed still asleep and was burrowing himself deeper into the pillow she had just vacated.

She quietly blew out the breath she had been holding, relieved at having disentangled herself, but she didn't rush off. She smoothed down the edge of her white tank as she studied him. Who was this man who had tried to throw her out of the hospital, who had cared for her when she was delirious, who had put her to bed last night and stood panicked in the middle of the night at her bedside?

Her heart beat furiously in her chest and tears threatened to prick her eyes as she tried to turn back the clock and think of the pig doctor she had found dawdling in the OR, the man who ran around with Carly and every other easily available woman in Port Charles. The man, she bit her lip, who had shown up at her door with a bottle of wine and an apology. Robin closed her eyes against the panic rising in her chest. With shaky movements she forced herself to stop watching him, forced herself to stop noticing how gorgeous and innocent he looked tucked into her bed. Forced herself to not crawl right back in and find out what might happen.

She took a shaky breath as she remembered that she hadn't slept that closely with someone since Stone. With both Simon and Jason there had been an invisible line in the bed between them when they were asleep. Goose bumps broke out over her arms and she dragged herself to the bathroom.

Robin scrubbed her face and dried it with a towel and pulled on her long, pink robe and went downstairs to the kitchen to take her meds. Some required an empty stomach, some required food – crackers usually did the trick. She started a large pot of coffee while she went through her morning routine and listened closely for stirrings above.

Her stomach was still aflutter, but this morning she knew it wasn't a side effect of her meds, but rather from wondering what she was supposed to say to Patrick this morning? Stop being an unrepentant womanizer and always sleep in my bed? Pretend it never happened? Or the old stand by and be pissed off at him?

The noise when it came was not from where it was expected. Robin had just put a carton of eggs down on the counter to begin making pancakes – it seemed like a comfort food morning – when the front doorbell rang. Wondering how in the world she could be facing anyone without a bracing cup of café au lait Robin walked through the dining room to the front door. She peeked through the side window and groaned.

"Simon," she said flatly as she opened the front door, forestalling his ringing the bell again and probably waking her houseguest.

"Cheers, Robin. How are you feeling today, yeah?" Simon smiled brightly at her, though beneath the veneer she could see his wariness and concern. "Can I come in?"

"It's not a good time."

"I just came to see how you were doing and if you were back on the regimen, if there were any new side effects this time…"

"You're not my doctor, Simon."

"But I am your husband and I am an expert on…"

"Are you really? Because I'm not so sure what about you is true and what's a lie. Nor do I care to find out right now."

"I'm not going anywhere, Robin. You will have to deal with me."

"See that's what you were supposed to do when we got married. I'd say…"

"You were a day late and a dollar short."

Robin froze at the sound of Patrick's voice. Her hand still on the front door barring Simon's entrance she turned around to see Patrick sauntering down the stairs clad only in a towel around his waist, his hair wet and dripping down his completely mesmerizing chest. Robin couldn't help ogling him, though she flushed when she saw that he hadn't missed her study.

Patrick came the rest of the way down the stairs and put his hand on Robin's neck. "Robin and I are rather busy this morning and I have her needs, medical or otherwise, taken care of, mate."

Robin was having a tough time not shivering under Patrick's moist touch and not laughing out loud at Simon's disgusted expression.

"So why don't you call Robin and set up an appointment with her to get your divorce taken care of and leave us to our morning, ummmm, coffee." Patrick smiled suggestively at Robin.

"I'm not going to give you a divorce!"

Robin opened her mouth to speak, but Patrick took matters into his own hands. Or rather the front door which he slammed in the face of the blond Englishman.

"I can't believe you did that!" Robin's eyes were wide and her jaw was dropping in shock.

"Can't you just laugh?" Patrick crossed his arms and looked down at her.

Robin covered her mouth and nodded. "The look on his face." She closed her eyes and began to laugh. Patrick smiled at her mirth, enjoying the rare look on her.

Robin was wiping tears from under her eyes by the time she stopped laughing. She blinked a few times as she realized that Patrick was still leaning over her, clad only in a towel. She bit her lip as she watched a droplet of water sliding down his chest. She unconsciously followed it with her eyes until it hit his towel, which was riding dangerously low on his hips. She looked up to see amusement and unmistakable desire in Patrick's brown eyes. She was frozen in place as he ran his fingers over her neck and up her cheek and into her hair.

He's going to kiss me! Robin thought, shocked and undeniably eager.

A lazy grin lit up Patrick's face as he saw her acquiescence and he leaned closer to touch their lips together.

He's naked, was her next disjointed thought as she felt his breath on her lips.

Unable to hold back she put her hands on his shoulders and licked her lips and closed her eyes.

His lips gently brushed against hers, back and forth, the soft touch sending sparkles of sensations through her entire body.

I'm going to melt. She leaned in and up…

And then the doorbell rang.

Patrick cursed under his breath as Robin opened her eyes and jumped back.

"If it's Surfer Boy I'm kicking his ass," Patrick swore and turned and pulled the door open, a murderous look on his face only to come face to face with an amused Anna Devane.

"Good morning, Anna." Patrick nimbly shifted his mood and graced her with a welcoming smile, even as he grasped his towel and made sure it stayed closed. "There's coffee in the kitchen. I'm going to go take a real shower."

He gave Robin a heated look, then a wink and loped back upstairs. Robin automatically turned and watched him until he disappeared down the hall.

Anna looked at her daughter with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "He seems quite at home here." She closed the front door and watched her daughter blush and squirm.


	11. Chapter 10

Thanks for the great feedback. We're so happy you're enjoying this story! We are too.

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**Chapter 10**  
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Anna looked at her daughter with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "He seems quite at home here." She closed the front door and watched her daughter blush and squirm as the shower came on in the guest bathroom.

"I was just about to make pancakes. Did you have breakfast yet?" Robin turned and rushed back into the kitchen. Anna trailed after her and poured herself a cup of coffee as she waited her daughter out.

Robin busied herself in the kitchen, hoping that her embarrassment wouldn't show. "He was just trying to keep Simon from bugging me."

"I see. So you were just playing along while you were ogling him?" Anna nodded and sat down at the kitchen table.

"I was most certainly not ogling him! I don't ogle." Robin spit the last word out as if it was blasphemous.

"Luv, who are you trying to convince?"

Sighing heavily, Robin sat down in a chair, putting her elbows on the table as she put her face in her hands. "Myself I guess." She groaned out the mortification she'd been battling with since she woke up this morning.

Anna pulled Robin's hands away from her. "It's okay to admit you like him and find him attractive. He is incredibly attractive."

"He knows how attractive he is." Robin rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure like is the right word. It's just doctor/patient stuff. You know, he saved my life so it's natural to feel something toward him. And for him to delay disengaging from my care all of a sudden." Which didn't explain the sleeping together or the almost kiss, but she was going to put all that in a box to think about later. Or never.

"I'm not buying it, darling. There is a definite attraction between you two. There's nothing wrong with that."

"He's a jerk." Okay, so she didn't really think that anymore. Most of the time.

"He cares about you."

"I'd just be another conquest."

"Thanks to Simon and that Jason, not to mention your father lately, you think all men are untrustworthy and while I don't entirely disagree with you, I don't think you should write Patrick off so quickly. And what would be so wrong with having a little fun with a gorgeous man?"

"It's never just fun for me. I don't work that way." Robin stood up and began to mix the pancake batter.

"I know you've been hurt you deeply, but closing off your heart isn't the solution. Maybe Patrick won't work out long term, but isn't not trying worse?"

"I promised myself I wasn't going to do that anymore. But I'm scared I'm going to make a fool of myself." Robin tested the heat of the griddle with a spoonful of water. When it sizzled she began to drop batter onto the surface.

"That's how you know it matters. Just take it slow. Try to tear down some of those walls that you've built up to protect yourself. It's easy to see that Patrick has some walls of his own; he's a lot deeper than his womanizing ways would make you think. I saw him with his father, I saw him watch and worry over you, Luv."

Robin thought back to the night before. The fear and vulnerability she had seen in Patrick's eyes until he caught himself and went back to his raucous humor to mask it. "Maybe you're right. I think it's too soon for me to be making any life-altering decisions anyway. I need to concentrate on making breakfast first." She went to the refrigerator and took out a carton of orange juice and made a mental note to thank Felicia for stocking her kitchen before she got home from the hospital.

Robin was putting the first of the hot pancakes down on the table when Patrick came walking in, dressed this time in well-worn jeans and a black t-shirt. He sat down and picked up a plate from the table and held it out expectantly at Robin. She laughed and served him, shaking her head at the little boy look on his face and then sat down in the chair in between Anna and Patrick at the small square table.

Anna watched the interaction between the two young doctors. She saw shades of her relationship with another doctor she'd been involved with. But now was not the time to think about David and whether she should visit Pine Valley. "So what are you two up to today?"

Patrick looked at Robin. "I'm going to get the pre-surgery blood work done. And I think Robin here has someone she needs to go see. Although it needs to be a short visit as she still needs her rest."

Robin looked at him quizzically. "Who do I need to see?" She had been planning to spend the day with her mother.

"Your father."

She shook her head. "No way. I saw him yesterday. Why do I need to see him again today?" She scowled into her plate like an adolescent.

Patrick leaned closer to her, looking her dead in the eye, not letting her gaze leave his. "Look, I'm giving my father part of my liver. I think the least you can do is talk to yours."

Robin sighed. How in the world could she argue when he put it that way? Her mom! Anna would agree that she didn't need to talk to Robert.

She looked at her mother who was nodding her agreement. "I think he's right Luv. It only hurts you to stay so angry at him."

Robin crossed her arms over her chest, no longer paying attention to the pancakes on the griddle. "So you're over being mad at him then?"

"I didn't say that, but we have come to an understanding." Anna smiled.

"It's okay for you to be mad at him but not me?" Tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks. She angrily swiped them away. She hated feeling so weak, she couldn't wait until she was back to one hundred percent health.

Anna put her arm around Robin's shoulders. "He's not my father. You missed out on so many years with him. Years you can't recover. Do you want to waste more time?"

Robin looked into Anna's eyes and realized that she was right. She desperately loved her father and wanted him in her life. She couldn't let pride stand in the way. She looked at Patrick and noticed that for once, he didn't have the 'I'm always right' smirk on his face. He was simply watching her.

"No 'I told you so'?"

Patrick shook his head. "Even I know when something's important. No joking matter this one."

"I'm starving. Now that I know my plans for the day, let's eat." She smiled gratefully.

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Robin gritted her teeth when she saw that her father was talking to Simon near the nurse's station. She had really hoped not to have to deal with him again today, ever really.

"Robin, what are you doing here? You should be resting." Simon's eyes narrowed.

"I'm here to see my father. I didn't realize I needed your permission. My doctor said a short time out would be fine."

"I assume you mean Drake." Simon's face flushed as he spit out Patrick's name like it was a particularly nasty disease.

Robin smiled as she saw his anger. "Yes, Doctor Drake. After observing me last night and this morning, he thinks I'm up for some activity." Robin mentally rolled her eyes, now she was being downright juvenile like Patrick. It kind of felt good, actually. Especially with Simon the Deserter.

Robert raised his eyebrows at the implications of Robin's statements. "Did you come to see me?" He didn't disguise the hopefulness in his voice.

"Can we go somewhere private? My office?" Robin asked.

Robert nodded and followed his daughter after giving a warning look to Simon.

Robin started to sit behind her desk but thought better of it and instead sat next to Robert on the couch.

"Are you feeling all right? I didn't expect you to be out and about so soon," Robert said, drinking in the sight of his daughter looking so healthy, albeit tired.

"Mom dropped me off. I'm fine. There's some things I need to say to you, Dad."

At the use of the appellation Robert's eyes softened.

"The one thing I thought I learned when I was diagnosed with HIV and that I was graphically reminded of recently is that we never know how much time we have. Could be years, could be minutes and I don't want to spend the time I have left angry with my father. It's not worth it."

"Are you saying you forgive me?"

She nodded. "I think what you did was wrong and I will never agree with it, but maybe I can understand it and I definitely have to live with it. At least I know now that you're alive. We missed too many years together, I don't want to miss any more."

"I do love you, Robin. Always know that. Since the moment I met you."

"I love you too, Dad."

"Can I ask you something?" Robert cleared his throat.

"Sure." Robin looked at him quizzically. She'd never seen her super spy father so uncomfortable before.

"Are you planning to divorce Simon?"

Robin nodded emphatically. "Yes. As soon as I possibly can. It wasn't so easy in France, but now that I live here I just need to hire a lawyer." She waved, dismissing the legal details.

"I understand. I want you to know he was the one who suggested you work with him on that drug and I was more than happy to have him watching over you. He was never supposed to become involved with you personally." Robert's voice was hard and angry, then he attempted to look conciliatory. "For what it's worth, I think he does genuinely love you."

"Sometimes love isn't enough," Robin said quietly.

A silence filled the room. Robert was the first to break it.

"And Noah's son?"

"What about him?" Robin felt her face flush.

"Simon tells me that Patrick was making himself quite at home at your place."

"It really wasn't like Simon thinks, that was mainly for his benefit." The almost kiss flashed before Robin's eyes even as she said the words. "Would it bother you?" It sure as heck was bothering her, but in a different way.

Robert held his hands up. "Far be it from me to interfere with your love life. Although, if he hurts you I have ways to make people disappear. I always want to protect you Robin, even if you hate my methods."

"I'm adjusting to your methods." Robin bit her lip and looked at her father who then opened his arms. She said nothing but moved closer to him, finally letting herself melt into his embrace. She had dreamed of getting a comforting hug from her father many times over the years since she was told of his 'death'. She closed her eyes and let herself take his comfort.

His pager sounded, causing Robin to jump, putting distance between them. He smiled. "Duty calls."

She nodded and watched him walk out of her office. Leaning back against the couch she sighed with relief. That went as well as can be expected, she thought. She considered lying down on her couch for a nap but decided she'd rather be home for that. As she walked out of her office, she realized she was hoping for company at home, not the empty house that she had gotten herself used to. She refused, however, to admit that there was one person in particular she wanted to fill that space.


	12. Chapter 11

We're feeling so generous on the holiday, here's another chapter!

>>>>>  
**Chapter 11**  
>>>>>

Patrick took one last look at the chart in his hand before putting it back in its assigned slot. He had been staring at chart after chart for two hours and his eyes were crossing. He wondered for a moment if Robin was still in the hospital, but figured her visit with Robert would be over by now. He turned to head towards the surgical exam rooms when he saw Noah heading in the same direction.

"Dad?"

Noah turned to face him, smiling. "I have to say I like the sound of that."

"How are you feeling?" Patrick smiled back stiffly.

"Still a little tired but I'm managing. You?" Since he had agreed to Patrick's offer of part of his liver he had decided to have an open and honest policy with his son, hoping against hope that Patrick would eventually do the same.

"Amazing as always." His cocky attitude was back in full force.

"And humble I see. I assume that means Robin is still doing well." Noah chuckled.

The cocky smile was temporarily replaced with one that belied his affection for the diminutive doctor. "She was fine last time I talked to her." He rubbed his hand over the back of his hair, ruffling it as he dealt with the unaccustomed urge to reveal something personal to his father. Then he put his hands on his hip and strengthened his usual veneer of blasé arrogance.

"Did she fight you staying there last night?" Noah had been involved in the scheming with Anna the night before to make sure that Robin was watched over her first night out of the hospital. Though Anna could have done it easily herself, she pretended she couldn't wait another night to hash things out with Robert once and for all. Noah had seen the matchmaking glint in her eyes and was more than happy to go along with it. And so was Patrick as evidenced by his not pointing out the obvious flaws in their logic that his sharp mind must have detected. It said a lot to Noah.

"At first but as always she was just another woman who couldn't resist my charm."

"From what I've seen that's a first with Robin for you," Noah pointed out.

Patrick gave an arrogant smirk and said nothing, but mind drifted back to falling asleep with Robin nestled comfortably in his arms; and, he barely suppressed a chuckle, her desperate attempt to slip out of bed this morning without waking him. He had been so tempted to open his eyes and nail her, but he had decided to cut her some slack thinking it the more prudent course if he ever wanted to find himself in her bed again.

Noah shook his head in amusement. "Well give her my best if you talk to her any time soon." He had no doubt that Patrick looked forward to doing just that sooner than he would like to admit.

"I'm on my way to the lab for the pre-surgery blood work," Patrick said in implicit invitation and change of subject.

"So am I. Maybe we can get lunch afterwards?" Noah proposed casually as they walked down the hall together.

Patrick thought briefly about tracking Robin down, just to see if she was resting as she should, and hastily pushed the idea away with a frown. He was thinking about her too much for his peace of mind, though it was probably just habit after a month of twenty-four-by-seven proximity. He could check in on how she was doing, medically, later. And maybe finish that kiss from this morning? Caught up in his own tumbled thoughts Patrick missed his father's growing disappointment.

"If you have other plans?" Noah said, his voice tinged with disappointment.

"No." Patrick, still frowning, shook his head. "Lunch would be fine. I just have to finish rounds after this test."

"I can wait. I'm meeting with Alan about his offer to come on staff. I told him I wouldn't, but he wants to talk anyway."

Relieved for the change of subject Patrick stopped outside the exam room they were scheduled for. "Don't turn it down on account of me. I'm not sure if this hospital is big enough for two Drake egos, but you could use the competition."

"I could, could I?" Noah laughed and clapped Patrick on the shoulder. "Then we'd best get this surgery under our belts." Suddenly serious Noah squeezed Patrick's shoulder. "This is a major surgery. I know, I know you know that. Let me be the father here for a change. I want you to really think about what you're offering to do. This isn't an easy surgery for the donor. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you. That's why I refused in the first place." Noah's face was suddenly doubtful again.

"I'm not going to change my mind. And neither are you," Patrick said sternly seeing where his father's thoughts were going. "You're not giving up and I'm not giving up on you."

"Deal. Let's get these tests done and you can page me when you're ready for lunch." Noah held the door open for his son to walk in first.

>>>>>>>>

"How did you talk go with your father?" Simon didn't look up from the paper he was studying when Robin came walking into his temporary office. He had recognized her light, but determined step.

"Fine."

"So I guess it's my turn now?" Simon looked up and put the paper down on his desk. He leaned back in his chair and waited for her to say her piece.

Robin sat down in the chair across the desk and studied the man who had once meant so much to her. For months they had work and played together. She had let him into her life in a way she hadn't with anyone, possibly ever. They complemented each other in the lab and their conversations outside it were heated, fierce and interesting. Somewhere along the way they had fallen into bed, dazzling each other with romantic gestures and adventures that ultimately had led them to a hasty nuptial during a long weekend in the South of France. Four days later he had packed up and disappeared leaving behind only a hastily scrawled note and some of his clothes.

For weeks she had been almost inconsolable, throwing herself into her work with a vengeance and obtaining results that should have taken twice as long. After that she had been furious, even more so with the French courts who blocked her dissolution of the ill-advised marriage. Then she just stopped caring. About the divorce, about him and about her heart. She had created a well-ordered cloister out of her work for the past year.

And now here they were.

He was undeniably attractive. Tall, lithe, mussy blond hair she knew he worked hard to maintain, sparkling light green eyes, full red lips and he did nothing for her. There was no pull, physical or emotional.

Because of him she was going to be a divorced woman, though, and that made her want to kick his ass.

"I've listened to my father, now I'm ready to hear your story." She crossed her arms and waited, her face impassive.

Simon laid it on thick. Feelings. Passion. Shared vision. Goals. Take the medical and scientific communities by storm. Work side by side. These familiar buzz words jumped out at Robin, but the truth was she could hardly be bothered to listen. Not even to honor marriage vows did she feel compelled to turn her thoughts and emotions his way again.

"Damn," she whispered under her breath. It was blindingly clear as Simon spoke earnestly in front of her that Simon was nothing more than a fling that went too far. Putting aside the whole really working for her dead father, lying to her and deserting her, it wasn't really love. It was good sex and compatibility.

She didn't even feel half of the things she felt about and for Patrick Drake for this man. She never had.

She shook her head and thought back on her mother's words.

She most definitely was not in love with Patrick, definitely not. But she was drawn to him and his bad boy ways, his arrogance, his brilliant mind and his smoking hot body. She might end up as nothing more than another notch on his bedpost, but to be fair she knew that he respected her and in some way cared about her. That didn't mean she was actually going to sleep with him, that was too intimate and important a territory to navigate or decide on just yet, but why not explore the flirtation and friendship he offered?

"Are you even listening to me?" Simon's angry voice interrupted her deep musings.

"Actually, I wasn't, Simon."

Simon seemed to shrink in his chair right before her eyes. "You're not interested in trying to make our marriage work?"

"It's simply not possible." She shook her head.

"What about our work?"

"We could try and work together again, I think we're really compatible there." And not so much in bed, Robin flashed on the almost kiss with Patrick this morning that churned her up more than any time she had spent with poor Simon.

Robin laughed out loud at herself. This man lied, married and abandoned her and she pitied him! It was so freeing. Her mother and Brenda would be so proud when she told them.

"Simon, get yourself a lawyer and let's get this divorce handled sooner rather than later. Then we can talk data." Robin stood up and walked out.


	13. Chapter 12

We are sooo good to you for this holiday! thanks for the feedback - seriously, it keeps the story flowing. Quid Pro Quo g>

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Chapter 12  
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Patrick rang the doorbell again and immediately buried his ungloved hand in his pocket to protect it from the frigid wind. His breath billowed visibly out in front of him as he stared at the closed door to Robin's cottage. The lights were on inside and her car was still there so he assumed she was inside, but she wasn't answering. The image of her collapsing in front of him in the lab began to flash before his eyes and he tried the door knob. Finding it open he got even more worried, her father's concern for her safety ringing in his ears.

He walked in and called Robin's name out. He wandered into the living room and heard the loud music coming from upstairs. Laughing at himself for his paranoid musings – a man-made mutant virus epidemic and a colleague with back-from-the-dead parents tended to do that to him – he loped up the stairs to see what was going on.

He found her at the top of a ladder painting a wall of the guest room. Blue this time.

"What are you doing to my room?" He leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms. He had to yell to be heard over the loud music.

"Did you at least make the pretense of ringing the doorbell?" Robin asked, not seeming at all surprised to find him in her home. Or upset for that matter.

Patrick's eyes narrowed and he walked into the room and circled her on the ladder, turning off the radio on his way.

"You're supposed to be resting."

"I took a nap. Then I decided with all this time off I might as well make this place livable. So, what are you doing here?" Robin covered the last white spot on the big wall with her roller and leaned back and nodded in appreciation.

"Checking up on my patient, who clearly needs it since she doesn't understand the concept of recuperation."

"I can't wait to see you after your surgery." Robin climbed down the ladder and put the roller in the tray. Kneeling down she looked up at him. "Come to think of it, what are you doing after the surgery? It's a pretty major one you know." A concerned expression on her face.

"I got that lecture from my dad today, but you know being a surgeon I kind of know these things." He walked over and looked down at her.

Robin stood up and pulled her hair out of the pony tail she'd had it in for painting, her brown eyes still darkened with concern. "Serve you right to have a doctor with your bedside manner so you'd know what it's like. But seriously, what are you going to do?"

"Go back to my hotel and take some good pain killers." Patrick shrugged and watched Robin wash her hands in the attached bathroom. He walked back out of the bathroom. "Have you had dinner?"

Robin shook her head, sensing that he didn't want to talk about the surgery and deciding to let it drop for now.

"How about I make something for us?" He offered, his voice overly casual.

"Inviting yourself for dinner?" Robin teased.

"I offered to cook." He put his hands in his jeans pockets and shrugged, a boyish grin on his face. When Robin didn't object he loped his arm around her shoulder and led her out of the room.

"_Can_ you cook?" Robin asked, shrugging out of his embrace and following him down the stairs. His touch had made her thoughts scatter.

"Of course I can. I'm a modern man of many talents. Let's see what you have." He opened the refrigerator and then the freezer searching out ingredients.

Robin watched, bemused, as he jumbled through her cupboards. "You're serious about this!" She watched amazed as he began piling ingredients on the counters and sifted through her pots and pans.

"Baby, I've never exaggerated my talents." He waggled his eyebrows at her and then punctuated it with a shake of his hips.

Robin laughed. "I'm going to go light a fire in the living. And don't make a smarmy comment on that. Please." She laughed her way into the living at the sight of him clamping a hand over his mouth.

She was sitting on the floor staring into the fire fifteen minutes later when Patrick came walking out of the kitchen, a dish towel slung over his shoulder.

"Where'd you learn to make a fire?" He sat down next to her, crossing his legs.

"Lucky Spencer. Where did you learn to cook?" She leaned her cheek on her knees and looked sideways at him as he sat down next to her.

"My mother. She wanted to make sure I could seduce women." At Robin's wry smile he amended his statement. "She wanted me to be self-sufficient. So what's with the deep thoughts just now? Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine." She lifted her head and looked back into the fire. "I talked to my father. It was good. Thanks for encouraging me."

"Why so sad then?"

"My mother left town today, just for a few days. She had some person things to take care of in Pennsylvania and my dad is probably going to have to leave soon to track down the makers of this virus. I think Luke Spencer is going to go with him which brings back old times." She smiled at the thought, though she still looked sad. "Life has changed so much in the past few months."

"Is that a bad thing?" Patrick asked curiously.

Robin shook her head. "No." She sighed and turned her head back to look at Patrick who was watching her with those dark brown, almost black, unreadable eyes. "Just a lot to take in and it seems to have all come to a head just today."

"The talk with your father?" Patrick asked, his voice as unreadable as his eyes.

"My father. I spoke with my mother before she left about some things." Robin stopped as her thoughts touched on the little sister she never knew. "Simon."

Patrick stiffened almost imperceptibly beside her, but she sensed it. Wondered what it meant. If anything.

"I told him I was getting a divorce with or without him. I think he got the message this time." Robin shook her head and looked back into the fire.

"Does that…upset you?"

"No. I just wonder what the heck I was thinking marrying him. It was a weekend lark, really. Not my usual m.o. and now I'll be a divorced woman. It's a failure. Even worse, I realized today I never really loved him. It was pure unadulterated infatuation taken too far." Robin shrugged and continued to stare at the dancing flames.

It was on the tip of Patrick's tongue to ask if the sex was worth it at least, that was his usual m.o., especially with Robin. But he didn't really want to know, and neither did he want to resort to being glib and defensive when she seemed to be finally opening up to him. She had called that one right that night at their first official date.

"We never had another date," he said out loud.

"Huh?" Robin looked at him and shook her head. "Where did that come from?"

"I was about to be glib and then I remembered what you said that night." He shrugged and smiled ruefully. What was it that was different about Robin tonight? His eyes roamed over her face, lit by the flickering light of the fire.

"Nice self control, Drake. We're having dinner together tonight." She left the invitation dangling.

"Are you saying this is a date?" He asked, a grin breaking out, his dimple peeking out.

And now Robin could easily read the gleam in his eyes.

"Yes."


	14. Chapter 13

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Chapter 13  
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Patrick watched Robin pick at her food from across the table. "Is it that bad?"

Robin looked up quickly. "No! It's good! I just can't eat much yet." She shrugged and looked down at her plate.

"Understandable. You went quite a while without solid foods. There will be plenty of leftovers for you to snack on. Why don't you go sit in front of the fire while I clean up in here?"

"No way. You cook, I clean up. That's only fair," She protested.

Patrick sighed. "Nice try but no. You need to rest Robin. I'm serious about this. Your body is still trying to recuperate. I won't compromise on this."

She wanted to fight him but the flicker of concern in his eyes stopped her. "Okay, on one condition."

"And that would be?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"I do the same for you after your surgery."

Patrick was stunned to silence for a moment. "I only have a hot plate and a microwave in the hotel room so that might be hard." He grinned, trying to convey indifference.

"Clean up and we'll talk about that." Without giving him time to answer she stood up from the table and went to go settle in front of the fire as he had suggested.

After the dishes were done and leftovers put away, Patrick settled down next to Robin. "So talk." He rubbed his damp palms on his jeans and wondered where she was going with this.

She smiled at him. He felt an unfamiliar flutter in his stomach when she looked at him. "A hotel room is nowhere for you to be when you're recovering from major surgery."

"I'll be fine Robin. It's not a big deal, really."

"That's where I disagree. I think you should stay here. In the guest room," she added quickly. "You took care of me when I needed it and are still doing it. I want to repay the favor."

"I'm a doctor, I did my job. No need to feel obligated." He stood and looked out the window.

Stunned at his abruptness she said nothing for a moment. "Patrick?"

"Yeah?" He didn't turn to look at her.

"I don't feel obligated."

"No?"

She walked to the window and stood next to him, putting her hand on his arm. "No. I want to do this. Not out of obligation, I just want to."

Her words slowly sank in. Here was this amazing woman who was still recovering from a life-threatening situation wanting to take care of him. Wanting to. No ulterior motives, no selfish purpose. "In the guest room, huh?" He mustered up a leer to cover up his inner turmoil.

"Yep. Take it or leave it."

"I'll take it," he said, grinning with his dimple in full display.

She smiled back at him, but he could see the weariness in her eyes. "Now that you've given me my rules for after surgery Dr. Scorpio, I'm going back to being the doc in charge. It's time for you to get to bed."

"I don't even have the energy to argue with you," she admitted ruefully.

"There's a first time for everything. Let's get you upstairs." Before she could move, he scooped her up in his arms for the second time in as many nights.

"Patrick! I can walk! Put me down."

He shook his head. "Nope." He easily mounted the stairs.

"Please? I'll go straight to bed, I promise."

His eyes were full of disappointment. "Ok take all of the fun out of it." He placed her feet back on the floor outside her room.

She looked at him questioningly. "What fun is that?" They stared at each other silently.

"Forget it, I was just going to say something else glib," Patrick shrugged and flashed a dimple. Where was all this seriousness coming from all of a sudden, he wondered as he looked over her head into her bedroom?

"No I don't think you were." She could feel the heat radiating between them. Could he feel it too, she wondered?

How could this woman get to him this way just by being near him? He shrugged both to the question in his mind and to her statement. "Just thought it would be fun to tuck you in, that's all." He shoved his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and rolled back on the balls of his feet.

She smiled softly. "I need to change out of these clothes anyway and you know I'd make you leave the room for that. Then you can say goodnight." Her heart was pounding its way out of her chest, she was sure. She had no idea what she was doing and she was loving every second of it. She hadn't felt this alive in ages.

He snapped his fingers. "Damn! You got 10 minutes." He winked and moved back towards the landing.

"Yes sir!" Laughing, she walked into her bedroom and closed the door.

Patrick stood staring at the door for a moment, all traces of humor gone from his face.


	15. Chapter 14

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Chapter 14  
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It was Robin's first day back at work since before the outbreak and she felt strangely bereft. Part of it was adjusting back to the hospital, which though busy, was missing the adrenaline rush she'd lived on for two weeks before she herself became a victim of the manmade virus. Another part of it was the fact that during that time she and Patrick Drake had put aside their differences and worked side by side night and day and then he had been in charge of her care both in and out of the hospital. At least he had been until she had been out of the hospital for a couple of days, then he had virtually disappeared. He still called once a day to check in on her general health, but he had turned her care back over to Alan Quatermaine. And since she had come to work today he had been avoiding her.

He said that he was trying to clear his surgical schedule before his own surgery later that week, but it just didn't ring true. He was busy, but not necessarily anymore busy than he had ever been and then he'd found plenty of time to get in her face. Short of chasing him down in the OR and holding him hostage there was nothing she could do about it so after finishing her rounds she retreated to her lab to get things back in order. She was sitting with her head down on her desk when someone walked into her office.

"Are you okay?"

Robin looked up and smiled at Noah Drake wearing his white doctor's coat and a clipboard in his hand.

"I just spent the afternoon and early part of the evening on the phone with NIH and the FDA. I now have a headache as if I've actually been banging my head against a brick wall."

"Bureaucrats." Noah nodded consolingly and sat down across the desk from her. "Giving you a hard time?"

"NIH wants more data before they'll approve a grant for a new study, but I need the grant to get more data. The FDA…well, I don't even want to relive those calls yet. What brings a brilliant neurosurgeon down to this neck of the woods when there's no mutant virus felling the residents of Port Charles?"

"Thought I would welcome you back to work." Noah tapped his fingers on the clipboard resting on his lap.

"Thank you. And?" Robin propped her elbows on the desk and rested her chin on her entwined hands.

"I came to ask you to not give up on my son."

Robin blinked a few times. "Where did that come from?" She asked, lifting her head and dropping her hands onto the desk.

"It's been a rough couple of months for all of us."

"How are you feeling?" Robin asked. "You look tired."

"It's a good tired. I'm glad that Alan let me come to work before my surgery. At least if it doesn't work out I'll have gone out practicing medicine again."

"Everything is going to be fine. Both you and Patrick are going to be fine." Robin said firmly.

"We probably will. Doctor Lee and Monica are amazing surgeons. Patrick told me that you offered to take care of him after he got out of the hospital. I can't tell you how relieved I am that you'll be there for him."

"I'm not so sure Patrick wants me to. He probably has other options." Robin shrugged and straightened a pile of papers, trying to look unaffected.

"My son is not as well adjusted as you are in dealing with things."

"I'm no example of well-adjusted." Robin laughed.

"Your father came back from the dead, your missing husband showed up, you had someone close to you die and you almost died yourself. I'd say your plate has been full, but here you are back at work and looking more at peace than I've ever seen you. Even with your head buried on your desk in frustration."

"My mother says that life never hands you more than you can handle." She shrugged, brushing off his compliment.

"Maybe not, but you can choose not to handle it. Like I did when Patrick's mother died. Like Patrick is doing now avoiding you."

"We spent almost every waking moment together for over a month so it's weird now, but we're settling back into the day to day again." Robin waved a hand, trying to make light of the situation. As if the feel of him holding her hadn't haunted her all week.

"I may not have been a good father to him for a long time, but I know my son and I know when he's running scared.

Robin leaned back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling. After a few moments she looked back at Noah. "Noah, Patrick and I are just colleagues and in some weird fashion, friends, but we don't have any kind of understanding beyond that. Let me finish," she said when Noah started to speak. "I'll admit, grudgingly, that there's an attraction between us, but for the first time in my life I have no expectations. I decided to let things go where they may with your son. He's backed off and I…" Robin stopped and sighed.

"Not so simple is it?" Noah asked.

"I'm trying really hard to not get hurt here." Robin rubbed a hand over her forehead.

"How Patrick has been through this crisis, how he's been with me, I haven't seen him like this since his mother was alive and I'm certain that it's because of your influence. Because despite Patrick's steadfast vows to never get emotionally involved with patients, his father or a woman so that he didn't end up like I did living life from the bottom of a bottle, he's done just that and all in the past month. He doesn't know how to handle being vulnerable so he's backing off to reconsider. I'm here to ask you to not give up on him. He needs you even if he's too stubborn or scared to admit it."

"What do you want me to do? Hunt him down and…" Robin held her palms up and shrugged.

"Just don't give up on him, especially if something happens to me, if I don't come out of this surgery or if the transplant doesn't take, he'll need someone with your strength to make sure he doesn't disappear completely. My son actually cares about me." Noah shook his head, his smile full of sad wonder.

"You're his father, of course he loves you," she said quietly.

"If this is too much to ask, I'll understand. I've just never seen anyone who can get through to the Drake men like you. Not since my wife," Noah said seriously.

"I'll be there for Patrick. I promise." Robin's throat was tight with tears, and her own fears.

"Enough doom and gloom, how about you have dinner with me tonight." Noah was back to charming.

"You don't have to bribe me," Robin teased, even as she reeled inside at the wonder of having the Drake men in her life.

"It's not a bribe, it's purely selfish. This out of practice neurosurgeon would love to spend a nice evening with a beautiful brain researcher." Noah said just as charmingly as his son ever could.

"I think that's a great idea."

>>>>>>>

Patrick was standing at the backside of the nurse's station in his scrubs, just out of surgery, flirting with Nurses Spencer and Kendall, when the sound of familiar laughter caught his attention. He snapped his head to the right just in time to see his father slipping Doctor Robin Scorpio's scarf around her neck. They were both laughing about something as Noah reached back and pressed the elevator button. Ignoring the two women in front of him he watched them until they went into the elevator.

"Hello, Patrick?" Liz waved her hand in front of his face.

"What?" he snapped out and turned back to see that sexy Nurse Kendall was wandered off and Liz was holding her hand out waiting for the post-surgical report he was filling out. "Sorry." He blew out a breath and tried to muster up a flirty smirk.

"She looks healthy."

"Who?" Patrick asked as he finished the report and signed his signature with a flourish.

"Robin. The person you were staring at so intently."

"I wasn't…" Patrick shrugged and handed her the clipboard. "She looks fine."

"She seemed to be having a good time with your father, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing going on."

"Of course there's nothing going on." Patrick scowled.

"Then why are you so pissed off?"

"I've performed three surgeries today. I've been here since five in the morning. It was the same yesterday. I'm not pissed off, I'm tired."

"I stand corrected," Liz said. "It's just…"

"What?" Patrick leaned on the counter and tilted his head down at her.

"You're normally euphoric after surgery. Bouncing around with excess energy. It's obvious how much you love it."

"I do." Patrick nodded, his smile not slipping, but his eyes were wary.

"I've also noticed," she started waiting for Patrick to urge her on. "The first person you seek out to burn off that excess energy is Robin."

"Is there a point to this, Nurse Spencer?" Patrick feigned nonchalance.

"You're a lot of things, Doctor Drake, but stupid is not one of them. You're avoiding her and you're not happy about it." Liz turned away and left Patrick standing alone at the counter thinking about just how not unhappy Robin had looked laughing with his father.

>>>>>>>>>

Robin and Noah had enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Metrocourt. Not only was the food excellent, but Carly was absent and the conversation flowed. They had found themselves caught up in a number of discussions about the latest brain studies and Robin correctly surmised that Noah had always kept up on the science of brain surgery, even if he wasn't practicing it in the years since his wife had died. She had also confirmed first hand just where Patrick got his charm.

She was now walking through the grocery store to pick up some vegetables and cottage cheese before she went home. On her way to the register she took a detour past the deli counter in the vain hopes of finding the cheeses from Paris she missed. As she was peering into the glass cases she saw the reflection of a pretty hot guy wearing a baseball cap in the aisle behind her. Interest piqued she turned and saw one Patrick Drake trying to decide between pop tart flavors. She thought for a moment before walking up to him.

"I like the low fat strawberry with the frosting best."

"Why is that?" Patrick turned and looked down at her, letting her see the N.Y. for the NY Yankees on his cap.

"Low fat, frosting, strawberry. Does that not say it all? Felicia sometimes sent them to me in Paris." She shrugged and laughed. "Sometimes a croissant just didn't do it."

Patrick grabbed the recommended flavor and put it in his basket and began to move sideways. "Did you have a good time with my father tonight?" Patrick asked, nonchalantly studying the other pre-prepared breakfast treats on offer as if they were fascinating.

"We did."

"Good." Patrick turned around and started walking faster.

"It was nice of you to give him permission to come back to work." Robin paced him and came up beside him as he put his basket down on the conveyor belt.

"I'm so glad the president of his fan club thinks it's nice."

Robin frowned as she unpacked her own items. She waited until his items were being rung up.

"Did I do something wrong, Patrick?"

Patrick stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and looked down at his sneakers. "No. You didn't do anything wrong." He sounded pretty irked as he said it.

"Oh. Okay." Robin looked away for a moment. "It was a lot easier when you were trying to piss me off all the time."

"Yeah, it was." Patrick smiled slightly as he took a bill out of his wallet and handed it to the cashier.

"I can pretend I can't stand you if it'll make you more comfortable."

Patrick picked up his bag of groceries, frowning, looking away. Then with the snap of his head he turned and nailed her with an intense look.


	16. Chapter 15

**>>>>>  
Chapter 15  
>>>>> **

Patrick picked up his bag of groceries, frowning and looking away. Then with the snap of his head he turned and nailed her with an intense look.

Robin felt his stare as she found her wallet, pulling out enough money to cover the total that the cashier gave her. His eyes never left her as she took her change and reached for her bag. Their hands brushed against each other as he grabbed her bag and began walking out the door.

Without a word she followed him as he walked to her car. She used the remote to unlock the door, which he opened and placed her bag inside. He finally turned to face her. "There's a lot going on right now, you know?" He pulled off his cap and ruffled his hair.

"I know, but you can't avoid me forever. We have to work together and I thought we were friends."

He looked at his feet, nodding in agreement. "I know." His eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Does anything scare you?"

"A lot of things scare me. Why?" His question shocked her, but it was the intensity of his gaze that was unnerving her more than anything. It wasn't his usual seductive study, nor was it the broodiness he had let peek through the night he had cooked her dinner and disappeared before tucking her in.

He shifted on his feet as he considered his answer. "Because you seem to sure of yourself no matter what the situation is. It's really annoying."

"Most people would say the same thing about you," she pointed out with the hint of a smile.

"If it has to do with work, yeah. If it has to do with seducing women. If I can make a joke out of it, yeah. Other stuff, not so much. There wasn't a lot of other stuff until now."

Robin was surprised by his candor. "It's ok to be scared." She wanted to fold this man who was practically twice her size into a comforting hug, but she had a feeling if she touched him now he would scurry. Or break. And that scared her more than most anything just then, even if he couldn't see it.

"It doesn't feel okay." Patrick smiled weakly.

"The surgery you're about to go through is scary. The thought that your dad still might not survive is even scarier, especially since you just got him back. How else can you be expected to feel?" Robin knew his fear had to do with more than the upcoming surgery but she also couldn't help but want to take some of the pressure off of him. And herself.

"I'm sure my father will be fine." He sighed. How did she always know when he was at his breaking point? She had let them both off the hook and redirected the discussion to a safer topic. If he wasn't so cowardly and relieved about it, he would have called her on it.

"Thanks to you."

"Thanks to the surgeons. They're doing the work, not me." He shook his head.

"They would have nothing to work with if it wasn't for you."

Smiling, he said, "Normally you're the one trying to deflate my ego, not stroke it."

"Call it a moment of weakness on my part," she teased.

"How are you feeling?" He wanted the focus off of himself. He realized that it might be the first time in his life he felt that way.

"Better. I'm getting my strength back every day."

"That's good. I shouldn't keep you out any later. It's getting cold and you still need your rest."

She nodded. She was getting tired but now that Patrick was talking to her again she was hesitant to leave, afraid that tomorrow they would be back to where they were before this chance encounter.

"Maybe I'll come by the lab tomorrow. You make better coffee than the cafeteria after all." His smile was almost shy.

She smiled back, relieved that he wasn't in the midst of a retreat. "I'll be there. I might even be nice and make you a fresh pot."

He laughed softly. "Well, have a good night."

She nodded. "Yeah you too."

Both seemed hesitant to leave but neither was willing to be the one to make the move to extend their time together. Patrick gave a quick wave as he walked to his car. He watched until Robin's car started and she drove away.


	17. Chapter 16

Enjoy!

>>>>>  
Chapter 16  
>>>>>

"Done unpacking." Patrick loped down the stairs and plopped down on the couch next to where Robin was reading a sheet of data that had just come through the fax from her colleagues in Paris. "How are the trials going?"

"Good. Really good actually." Robin got up and put the paper on the credenza in the dining room and walked into the kitchen to check supper. A few minutes later she came out of the kitchen and handed Patrick a bottle of water. "Are you sure you want me here for this? I could easily disappear to the lab and give you and your father time to talk alone."

Noah was joining them for an early supper, as it was the night before the surgery. Since Patrick was moving out of the hotel and into Robin's place that afternoon she had offered to make them an early supper, which was more of a late lunch as both men couldn't consume any food or beverages beyond a certain hour.

"Do you really think my father's face is the last one I want to see before I go under the knife?" Patrick was flirty and dramatic. He put his arm out and Robin sat down and let him pull her next to him on the couch.

After their encounter at the grocery store it was as if Patrick had never backed off from whatever was growing between them. He had, as promised, shown up at the lab and they had passed an enjoyable half hour drinking coffee and chatting about work. Since then, they had gone out on a couple of more dates – dates that Patrick didn't have to blackmail Robin to go on – and engaged in the most delightful of make out sessions in the front seat of his car outside her house, replete with steamed windows and chapped lips. This afternoon, with him moving his stuff from the hotel to her place in anticipation of his post-surgical stay, was the first time he had entered her house.

Robin could tell that both Drake men were extremely nervous about the surgery the next day – Patrick for his father and Noah for his son - and Robin herself had her own anxieties. She was both humbled by being included in their family and she was feeling a closeness to Patrick that blew her away in both its depth and its intensity. She had turned it over and over in her mind over the past few days trying to ascribe it to what they had endured during the outbreak and that they were currently going through some pretty heavy life and death stuff, but she had finally accepted just this morning that it wasn't true. She had gotten off the elevator to see Patrick flirting and working at the Nurses' Station and was hit with a wave of emotion that couldn't be anything but that she was falling in love. Since then, she had been trying to decide whether she should tell him.

On the one hand, giving love was a great gift and one she wanted to give to Patrick with no expectation of anything in return. On the other hand, she realized it might completely freak him out and actually, ultimately be a selfish thing for her to lay on him the night before life-threatening surgery with all the emotions he was dealing with around his relationship with his father and his father's health.

Then there was the part of her that really wished he would have those feelings for her back and voice them, even if facing that reality would scare her to death. She had no doubt that he cared about her, that he enjoyed being with her and that they were attracted to each other. But love? Monogamy? She wasn't so sure that Patrick had ever even been in love before. In all the stories they had been sharing over the past few days he never mentioned any particular woman he had been involved with for an extended period of time. It was almost like he was still fifteen and, despite his sexual experience, was just learning the ropes of relationship.

"What's going on inside that serious mind of yours, Scorpio?" Patrick tapped her on the shoulder with the arm extended around her neck.

"Nothing." Robin smiled up at him, her eyes dropping to his lips.

Patrick's eyes sparkled with amorous intent as he looked down at her and pulled her onto his lap. "You were fantasizing about me again, Scorpio." He cupped the back of her head and his lips brushed lightly against hers. "Say the word and I'm all yours."

Robin shivered as his voice rasped through her. She licked her lips, tasting him. She slowly slid her arms around his neck. She could feel his heart pounding against her breast, both of their breathing quickening as they drew out the moment of their lips finally melting together.

"You're so arrogant, Drake."

"It's not arrogance when it's true." Patrick slid her turquoise, body-hugging shirt up her waist and teased her bare skin with his fingers. "I can get you references."

"I bet you could."

"Of course, you could just judge for yourself," Patrick said, his voice husky.

Unable to wait any longer Robin initiated a tender kiss that went on and on. Desire fireballed through each of them, heat and sensation burning them where their bodies melded together, but their kiss remained slow, each taking their time to savor. Patrick's hand boldly moved up her torso, under her shirt, until he was cupping her breast. She moaned into his mouth as he expertly stroked her, stirring sensations her body had never experienced.

Patrick was just levering them to lie on the couch when the doorbell rang.

Their lips parted and with a muttered curse Patrick rested his forehead against hers and panting. "Ignore it," he urged.

"Coming!" Robin called out.

"Almost," Patrick muttered.

Robin laughed and pushed his shoulder so that she could slide out from beneath him. "Go check the kitchen while I let Noah in." Robin smoothed down her shirt and tried to smooth her hair.

"Good idea." Patrick glowered at her and got up from the couch. He gave her a heated look promising they would resume things later before he walked away, whistling.

Robin put her hand on her stomach and took a deep breath before going to answer the door.

>>>>>

They had finished cleaning up the table. Noah had insisted on helping before leaving for Bobbie's brownstone where he would be staying that night and after the surgery. Robin had busied herself with loading the dishwasher as Noah hugged Patrick goodbye. Dinner had been good even with emotions running high. They had tried to keep the conversation light and not dwell on the possibilities the next day might bring.

Patrick closed the door behind his dad and sighed heavily. Robin looked up from stoking the fire and smiled reassuringly. "He's going to be fine."

Patrick nodded, not trusting his voice at that moment. Robin walked to the couch and patted the spot beside her. He sat down next to her and smiled as she snuggled against him. He kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek there. "Tomorrow's a big day." His voice was softer than she ever remembered hearing it before.

"Yeah it is," Robin agreed.

"So where were we?" Patrick moved swiftly flipping them back to the position they had been in just before Noah showed up – her underneath him on the couch. He put his hand on her waist and began to push up her shirt, a wolfish grin on his face.

"Patrick!" Laughing, Robin tried to swat his hand away as he nuzzled her neck with his stubbled chin.

"Mmmmm? This could be my last night on Earth, you know." He waggled his eyebrows at her and wiggled his hips.

"That's a pretty cheap line, Drake, nothing I wouldn't expect from you of course." Robin sighed into his touch, her eyes closing as he worked his magic on her breast again.

"Whatever works. Whatever works." He leaned in and slid his tongue into her waiting lips. They both moaned at the intimate contact. Her arms encircled him and her fingers dug into his muscled back as she arched into him.

Minutes ticked by and their activities on the couch became more frenzied, but just when his hand slid between her legs to caress her through her slacks, Robin stiffened and pulled her lips away. She grasped his wrist and pulled him to a safer zone.

"We have to stop."

"I want you so much," Patrick moaned into her neck, trying to rein himself in. "I know you want me." The fingers of his formerly exploring hand gripped her waist. His other hand was still buried in her hair.

"Get up. Please." Robin rubbed a hand over her face as Patrick reluctantly sat up.

"I feel like a teenager here, Robin." He was scowling at the fire blazing across from them.

Robin sat up and crossed her legs and looked at him, trying to push back her own desire and order her thoughts before stepping into the minefield.

"When I was a teenager I was diagnosed with HIV."

"Don't pull the HIV card with me, Robin!" Patrick jumped up and glared at her.

"It's a fact Patrick. One that impacts how I deal with sex," she said quietly, firmly.

"You don't deal with sex!" Patrick put his hands on his hips and leaned over her.

"No. I make love. That might not be different if I wasn't HIV positive I can't say. But that's how it is. I can't just think of my own pleasure, I have think about my partner's safety. Your safety. If you can't live with that then we should take a step back and just be friends."

"Friends. You want us to be friends." Patrick said the word "friends" as if it was a curse. He stared pacing in front of the fire.

Robin watched him and waited.

"Do you know how crazy this is?" Patrick stopped and spun to face her. "You're driving me absolutely mad. Crazy. Insane."

"Then we're even," Robin admitted, finally showing how deeply affected she was by this conversation.

Patrick laughed mirthlessly and sat heavily onto the chair sitting kitty corner to the couch. He sat at the edge, his knees almost touching hers, his hands dangling between his knees. "I've never been just friends with a woman, not one that I want as much as I want you. I can't be just friends with you." Patrick sighed, closed his eyes and shook his head. "And I can't stay away from you either." He opened his eyes. "I know that you want me."

"You're an incredibly gorgeous man, Patrick."

"That's some solace, I guess." Patrick gave a wry smile and picked Robin's hand up from her lap and stroked it with his thumb. "No woman has ever made me work this hard. No woman has ever made me want to."

"Do you want to, with me?" Robin was suddenly breathless. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his intense gaze.

"I do." Patrick's voice was raspy and low, but Robin heard him and his commitment quite clearly. Still, there were things she had to make sure he understood.

"What exactly are we agreeing to here?" Robin asked. "Are we talking about casual dating or something, more, monogamous?"

"Monogamy." Patrick repeated and chuckled. "I think I'm asking you to be my girlfriend. Maybe next week you'll go to the sock hop with me?"

"Because of the HIV, there are things that we can't do, limits." Robin let out a deep breath. "I need time. You need to be sure."

"I'm a doctor, Robin. I understand the limitations and the risks. And the rewards. You have this virus, but you are not this virus. Understand?"

Robin squeezed his hand and nodded, a bubble of happiness expanding in her chest. Who knew when she marched into that bar and tossed a bucket of water on the infamous Noah Drake's head that it would turn out like this?

"I don't do anything I don't want to do and I don't do anything I'm not sure of. All part of my hedonistic personality." He chuckled softly. "Now, I can be patient about some things, but there's no reason not to enjoy the rest of the evening."

Robin laughed and let him pull her into his lap. They snuggled into the chair and began making out. 


	18. Chapter 17

We're not doctors, but we're trying to be as accurate as we can…forgive us the errors!

>>>>>>>   
Chapter 17  
>>>>>>>

"Any word?" Robin asked Liz quietly as she bent down and put her patient binders away under the counter for tomorrow's rounds. She was taking care of the follow-up on her own patients, as well as those of Patrick's who were close to release and didn't need intensive post-surgical follow-up. She had been glad for the excess load this morning as it had enabled her to keep her mind off the dual surgery that had started at six a.m. that morning. At least for a few minutes at a time.

"Nothing," Liz said as Robin stood up. "You're really worried aren't you?"

"There's nothing to worry about." As usual everything Robin was feeling was clear on her expressive face so no one within viewing distance believed her for a moment, especially Liz.

"The Doctors Drake have the best care, possible between Doctor Jonas, Doctor Quatermaine and the LDT specialist that flew in from the Mayo Clinic."

"I know. I know. And the risk to Patrick is less than one percent. But if anything should happen to Noah." Robin closed her eyes and blew out a breath. "I don't know why I'm so worried."

"Because you care about them." Liz put her hand on Robin's to still her nervous ruffling of forms on the counter.

Robin nodded and frowned, still staring at her hands. "I'm a doctor, I've seen surgeries performed more times than I can count. Even on Jason. But the thought of Patrick being cut open makes me feel like a panicked neophyte." The admission made her feel physically weak.

Liz looked at Robin intently for a moment. "When did you figure out you're in love with him?" Liz asked.

"Yesterday. I finally admitted it to myself yesterday." Robin smiled ruefully, her cheeks coloring.

"Have you told him?" Liz asked.

"I figured it wouldn't be a good idea for him to have a heart attack the night before surgery. Or to run out and have nowhere to convalesce," Robin said wryly.

"Robin," Liz admonished.

"He asked me to be his girlfriend last night. His only girlfriend," Robin admitted, a bright smile temporarily chasing away all traces of worry.

Liz blinked and then covered her mouth to suppress her laughter.

"Gee, thanks, Liz." Robin rolled her eyes and leaned her hip on the counter and waited for her colleagues mirth to disappear.

"I think it's wonderful, I'm just so surprised. Not that you aren't totally worth it, but that…"

"That the biggest womanizer…blah blah. Believe me, I was just as surprised. The thing is Liz, I really trust him. He doesn't take his integrity lightly, despite his cocky exterior."

"He was really there for me when Lucky was missing. You were right, there is a heart under there. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Then why am I so worried?"

>>>>>>>>>>

Sound. Voices. The clanking of metal, the sound of wheels turning. Sensations. Cold. Shaking. Black. Breathing. In. Out. In. Out.

A warm hand touching his shoulder.

A voice, closer this time. A woman.

"He's waking up."

Everything got louder. Stronger. Still black.

"Come on open your eyes, Doctor Drake?"

"Patrick. Come on."

He turned his head towards the voice and opened his eyes. Everything was blurry. He blinked a few times. A light was shined in his eyes. He felt through the fading anesthesia pressure in his lower body. He knew they were checking his urine and other bodily outputs. Robin took his hand and squeezed, speaking to him quietly. "Everything is going smoothly."

Patrick had an oxygen tube around his head, sending oxygen directly through his nose. He coughed as he tried to clear his throat and he smiled as he saw the concern in Robin's eyes. From the other side of his bed a doctor from the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit started to examine him.

The cold metal of a stethoscope startled him. "Hey! Warm that up." His voice was hoarse from disuse.

"How are you feeling?"

"Robin." He sighed as she brushed his forehead. Then he frowned. "Cold." His suddenly realized that his legs were beginning to tremble. He couldn't stop them. He put his hands on his legs to hold them down, pulling a little too quickly on his IV.

"It's a reaction to the anesthesia," the nurse, he recognized as Nurse Scott, told him. He knew that, he was a surgeon. "It'll stop in a few minutes."

"Here." Robin put another blanket over his legs, careful to avoid the other tubes coming out of his body and took his hand again.

"You know I bet I'd warm up a lot quicker if you crawled in here beside me." His voice was shaky as his body trembled.

"I bet you would." Robin laughed and sat down onto a stool next to his bed. "Noah is doing fine. They'll be done soon."

Something in her tone, in her eyes sliced through his body's trauma, halted his internal self-assessment. "What?"

"There were a few scary moments. Noah's blood pressure dropped too fast after they took his liver out. He was given an extra transfusion."

"But he's okay now?" At her nod he continued. "Were you there?"

Robin nodded. It had all happened just as Robin had come into the observation deck above the operating theatre. Her own blood pressure had dipped until the crisis passed.

"Soooo, basically you've seen me naked. Bet you're feeling pretty lucky."

Robin let out an involuntary bark of laughter. "Insufferable." She squeezed his hand.

"Part of my charm, Girlfriend." At her surprise he continued. "Did you think I asked you because I thought I'd be dead today?" He winked to take the sting out of his words.

"No." The smile slipped from her brown eyes at the sentiment.

"Hey, I'm just joking. Were you worried?"

Robin shrugged and gave a sheepish smile. "How do you feel?" His shaking had stopped as they talked. "Do you need a painkiller?"

Patrick thought for a moment. "No. I'm fine. You were really worried weren't you?" He grinned.

"You shouldn't talk so much yet."

Patrick reached up and touched Robin's cheek, stroking it with the backs of his fingers, his dark eyes drinking her in. "When." He broke off and coughed.

"See." She said. "Save it for something really important."

"Okay." He paused and gave her a very seriously look. "When's the first sponge bath?"

>>>>>>>>>

Robin leaned back up against the wall outside Patrick's private room and closed her eyes. Her knees were shaking and she wasn't sure she'd be able to complete the walk back to the PACU. He'd just been transferred from the PACU to the transplant unit and had finally fallen asleep. After the initial reaction to the anesthesia had worn off they had sat quietly talking together for a while as the doctors and nurses continued to check Patrick's bile, urine and blood counts in regular intervals. Then Patrick's incision and, as he said, his insides began to hurt. From then on all signs of the cocky, lothario disappeared and in came the type of patients they named entire reality programs after.

For such an athletic, vibrant man who had never been sick a day in his life to be bedridden and in pain, at the mercy of doctors and nurses, and Robin suspected be seen as such in front of Robin, had proved to be a nightmare for everyone. Especially since he was a doctor who wanted to second guess every area of his own care. The IV wasn't in smooth enough. He wanted a different pain medicine at a different dosage. He didn't want to sleep. He wanted to see all his labs. And he was most especially picky about the catheter in his most prized part. At some point Robin had ceased to be his caring girlfriend and became just another doctor who wasn't doing exactly what he wanted when he wanted it.

Now, four hours later, Robin felt like she was tied in knots. Part of her understood his frustration and his need to control things, another part of her just wanted to shoot his IV full of meds and put him to sleep.

He had been demanding wanted minute-by-minutes reports on his father's surgery, which should have taken only an hour longer than his own, but had taken almost two hours longer because there had been another blood pressure scare that slowed them down. Patrick hadn't been told about that, nor had he been told that Noah wasn't waking up from the surgery as quickly as the doctors would have liked; that he was still on the breathing tube and that the doctors were slightly alarmed at his outputs. It was too soon for any real alarm, which was why the doctors had decided to not burden Patrick with the information while he was in such a delicate stage of his own recovery. It had taken every ounce of Robin's will to keep the knowledge from showing on her face.

He had just fallen asleep, but not before asking her to go check on Noah and report back to him.

She hoped she that by the time he woke up all the news would be good.


	19. Chapter 18

>>>>>>>>>   
**Chapter 18**  
>>>>>>>>>

"Good news, Doctor Scorpio, Doctor Drake has woken up and we've been able to remove the breathing tube. If his results keep improving he'll be ready to move to the transplant unit in no time."

Robin took a deep breath and thanked the PACU doctor. "Can I see him?" When she received consent she walked over to Noah's beside. "How are you doing?"

"How's Patrick?" Noah rasped.

"He's fine. He's already ordering everyone around. He's worried about you."

"I don't know how I can ever thank him for this." Noah had tears in his eyes.

"By getting healthy and taking that second chance to rebuild your relationship." Robin took Noah's hand and smiled down at him.

"Actually, I think I may have already repaid him. He told me before we went into surgery that he asked you to be his girlfriend. I don't think he's had a girlfriend since he was about five."

"Five? Seems like a late start for Patrick." Robin laughed.

"He wasn't ready to settle down when he was just in pre-school." Noah smiled tiredly.

"That I can imagine." Robin rolled her eyes and smiled.

"He's a lucky man. If he doesn't treat you right you let me know." He squeezed her hand back, but Robin noticed his grip was weak.

"You should get some rest so they can get you out of here."

"Will you bring me those journals we talked about at dinner? I'll have plenty of time to read over the next couple of weeks."

"Done. I'll bring them by later."

"Tell Patrick I said thanks." Noah closed his eyes and started to drift off to sleep.

Robin looked at him for a moment before turning around to find Bobbie coming into the Unit. She and Robin shared a silent look and a clasp of hands before Robin walked out.

>>>>>>>

"You're all enjoying having me at your mercy." Patrick pushed his tray of food away and shifted, grimacing at the pain the effort caused his incision. Patrick had been insulting the special dietary meals they had been serving him over the past few days and insisting he was ready for regular food. His doctors didn't agree.

"Well, now that you're off the market there are a lot of disappointed nurses just hoping to catch you in bed." Liz had volunteered to take duty in the transplant unit while the Doctors Drake recovered. It was touch and go whether she was regretting it. Although seeing the cocky Doctor Drake act like a sullen adolescent some of the time did have its charms. Like right now, she was getting a kick of out of teasing him, especially since she knew the source of this mood.

"I'm not eating that tripe," Patrick said, not mollified by the ego-stroking idea that the reason he was checked on so often was less because of his medical needs than his good looks and charmed.

"Did you want me to bring you other tripe?" Liz asked sweetly. Pushing the tray back towards him.

"Where the hell is Robin?" Patrick looked towards the door again. She hadn't stopped by for the entire day and he swore that if she didn't show up to have dinner with him he was going to leave this room and hunt her down.

"If you finish your lunch like a good boy I'll go find out." Liz was not unaware of the fact that Patrick Drake was more eager to see Robin than he was to revel in the attentions of the enamored nursing staff, She was beginning to think that Robin's concern that he might not feel as much for Robin than Robin felt for him was no concern at all.

"What am I twelve?"

"You're sure acting like it, Son." Noah said from the doorway. He was sitting in a wheelchair pushed by another nurse. "Just because you're a doctor doesn't mean you have to actually be a horrible patient."

"What are you doing out of bed?" Patrick ran his eyes over his father, taking in his sallow appearance. It concerned him some, but Noah didn't seem weak like he had been when Patrick had last seen him the day before when he had been allowed to slowly walk to Noah's room and his outputs were steadily improving. The transplant, it seemed, was taking.

"Good to see you too," Noah said as Liz took over pushing him into the room.

"I'll leave you two alone. See if you can get your son to eat. Airplane used to work with Cameron," Liz said as she walked out the door.

"Find out where Robin is and get her in here!" Patrick called out.

Noah looked at son with a bemused expression on his face.

"What?" Patrick scowled at his father.

"This brings back memories."

"Memories of what? That last time I gave you most of my liver?"

Noah shook his head and smiled.

"Spit it out already," Patrick said impatiently.

"You were terrible when you were sick as a little boy. You used to run your mother ragged with your demands. You so hated being cooped up indoors. And you even missed school." Noah smiled fondly.

"I did, didn't I?" Patrick admitted sheepishly and picked up his fork and began to eat his now cold lunch. "You must be doing better if they've let you out of bed."

"Which you know since I consented to let you read my chart. I just wish I'd known you'd take out what you found on Robin."

"She go tattling to my daddy?" Patrick pushed his tray away.

"Do you really think she would do that, Patrick?"

"She is your biggest fan." Patrick wouldn't meet his father's eyes. He knew the accusation was unfair.

"She'd be yours if you let her. She didn't tell me, Patrick. She came to bring me a journal I had specially requested and she seemed upset. I deduced that you were probably the cause, as was I."

"She should have told me."

"Why? What could you have done?" Noah said as if it made perfect sense, when Patrick opened his mouth to argue, Noah continued. "You're being an ass."

"Fine, all right. I know I was an ass. I was angry and pissed off about being stuck in these four walls and I took it out on Robin. But when I told her to get the hell out and don't come back, but I didn't think she'd listen to me. She never has before. Now, she won't show up so I can apologize for, as you so succinctly put it, being an ass. She's not answering any of my calls or pages."

"Did it occur to you that she might have something else to do today?" Noah asked.

Patrick narrowed his eyes at his father. "What do you know?"

"What and ruin all of Robin's good work?"

"What good work?" Patrick asked in confusion.

"You sitting there waiting eagerly to apologize? I'm sure it doesn't happen very often that the arrogant Doctor Drake admits when he's been an ass."

"I wasn't completely out of line. She still should have told me about what happened in recovery and what's happened since. I just shouldn't have yelled at her."

"I asked her not to, not until you were stronger and it's my private medical information."

"I'm your son, not to mention your donor and I don't like being shut out of the process."

"Which is why I consented to your reading my chart once I was comfortable with your recovery and knew you were mobile again. Especially since you would probably go get it yourself."

"Which Robin probably told you how I was doing because I never asked her not to." Patrick rolled his eyes. He knew he just wasn't going to win.

"I'm sorry you felt shut out, Patrick. I know I haven't been the best of fathers, but I was only thinking of you Patrick. You don't know how stunning it is to me after all these years that you still care about your old man and I didn't want to cause the look in your eyes that I saw when you asked me to get a transplant for you and called me "dad" for the first time in years. I didn't want you to worry when there was nothing you could do about it. I saw how you were when Robin was ill."

"And if you died I would just be taken by surprise, brilliant way to show concern," Patrick said, his voice harsh.

"And you know it was never as bad as that, but you're right, Robin told me the same thing and I've already apologized to her for once again being putting her in the position of being our referee and bearing the brunt of your anger towards me. I'm sure she'll still be your girlfriend if you grovel sufficiently." Noah grinned.

"I think he's right about that."

Both men turned their heads to see Robin standing in the doorway, a gentle smile on her face.

"But it's going to have to be a very good grovel." She walked into the room to stand between the two men. "Now, if you're grovel is as good as your flirt it's a done deal."

"I knew you enjoyed my flirting, Sourpuss." Patrick crossed his arms and grinned up at her. "Do I get a kiss hello? I've been a good boy."

"I know that's not true." Robin eyed his uneaten lunch with a raised eyebrow, but forestalled the lecture about him eating to get his strength up so he could get out of there. It was a waste of breath. If Liz hadn't been in charge of his nursing team she would have suspected that he'd charmed some cute nurse to sneak him in food he had been so picky with his meals. "And why do you think you'd get a kiss before you've groveled anyway?"

"Because in a heroically selfless manner I just gave sixty percent of my liver to my dying father thereby saving his life."

"Well, there is that," Robin grumbled and leaned in to give him a quick, sweet kiss.

"I'm feeling left out here," Noah raised his hand, a big smile on his face.

Patrick grabbed Robin's arm. "You are not kissing my father!" The teasing tone took the sting out of his words.

As Robin shared a conspiratorial grin with Noah, Patrick pulled her closer to his bedside. "Where were you today? What's going on?"

"Does he even deserve it?" Robin asked Noah, her eyes filled with laugher. She turned them on Patrick. Seeing her looking so happy caused a flipping sensation in his belly.

"Do I need to pull out the liver card again?" Patrick asked rhetorically.

"That's only going to take you so far for so long!" Robin pointed a finger at Patrick, but let him pull her even closer until she was sitting on the bed next to him. He rested his arm around her waist.

"Just how far? And how long?" Patrick's asked, his voice husky and low.

"Patrick!" Robin flushed, even as a tingle of desire snaked through her. She couldn't believe he was flirting like that in front of his father.

"Why don't you tell him already, he's going to torture you until you do."

"That's right. I am." Patrick wiggled his fingers at her waist causing her to squirm. "I'm going to hurt you if you make me jump around like that on the bed," she warned, putting her hand over his and looking over at him in concern. She knew his incision was still causing him discomfort if he moved too abruptly.

"Will you get on with it already?" Patrick huffed a laugh and squeezed her hand lightly.

"Wow. Not very good grovel. Fine. Fine. I'll spill. The reason I haven't been by earlier is I had the morning off to take care of some things. Here." She pulled a photo out of her purse and handed it to him.

"You're giving me a picture of a bed. Is this like an IOU?" he asked eagerly, but teasingly.

"No!" Robin cracked up, which was hard to do as she was trying to hold still so as not to jar Patrick. "It's your bed. Look at the picture again."

With a shrug he held the photo up and looked at it again. Looking this time he noticed the blue wall behind the bed. "This isn't my bed in your guest room is it?"

"It is. I got it out of storage. Your dad helped me convince the storage people to let me get it and some other stuff out so you'd be comfortable at my place. Then you just have to move it to wherever you decide to live later."

Patrick let out a shaky breath and looked at her, his gaze intense, as if he was trying to hold back strong emotions.

"You're not mad that I went through your stuff, kind of. I didn't search through boxes or anything. I figured if there was anything else you wanted you could tell me."

Patrick shook his head and cleared his throat. "No. I'm not mad. I'm really, really." Patrick stopped and blew out a breath. "I don't even know what to say. Except thank you. And you did this even after I yelled at you."

"I was going to tell you I was doing this yesterday, my plans didn't change because you were upset."

"And taking it out on you. I'm sorry for that." Patrick smoothed a lock of hair behind her ears.

"Noah helped, you should thank him too."

"Thanks." Patrick looked at his dad.

Just then Liz came back into the room to take Noah back to his own. After they were gone Patrick and Robin sat quietly just gazing into each other's eyes. Robin broke the silence first.

"We do still need to talk about what happened yesterday. Wait. About my not telling you about the less than stellar facts on Noah's recovery."

"Not right now."

"Are you tired?" Robin asked.

"No, but there's nothing wrong with just enjoying each other's company is there?"

"No. The rest will wait." Robin let Patrick pull her head down to his shoulder and they began to talk about other things.


	20. Chapter 19

Thanks for all the feedback and encouragement because we both are inspired by it and I neeeeed it! I hope you all like this part...feedback and wishes welcome.

>>>>>>>>>  
Chapter 19  
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Patrick was glowering at the door, as he had been for the past fifteen minutes. Where the hell was the nurse? He was finally being paroled and now he had to wait. He had been in this room for seven days, the shortest amount of time they kept LDT donors and he would have expected them to have run him out of the hospital as soon as possible.

Instead of a nurse it was Robin who came in pushing a wheelchair and smiling at him. "Your chariot has arrived, Sir!" She had been working all morning to clear her caseload so that she could stay home with Patrick for the rest of the day.

An almost imperceptible grunt of displeasure escaped his lips. "Do I have to get in that thing?" he asked with a sigh. "Can I not have one shred of dignity before I get out of this place? Because being force fed tasteless food, being woken up at all hours of the night to have my vitals and outputs checked and being stabbed somewhere on this totally sexy body multiple times a day isn't enough. And while I have a great ass I don't necessarily want it hanging out of a thin polyester gown on display for just anyone. And now I have to be pushed out of the hospital in a pram."

"I can't believe you object to everyone seeing your ass." Robin started to laugh. After a minute she took a deep breath and, ignoring his astonished look, continued. "Listen, you know the rules. Either you ride in the chair or you stay. And if you stay the nurses are going to drug you into a catatonic state and I think the doctors will help them. So would I, come to that." Robin crossed her arms and gave him her no nonsense look.

Oookaaay, Patrick thought to himself. Maybe he had been pushing the envelope a bit much if even the unflappable Dr. Scorpio was threatening him. Of course, that didn't mean he was going to concede the point so easily. "And this is the bedside manner that you've been encouraging me to adopt? I think I could do that." Patrick smirked at her, his eyes twinkling.

"I'm not you're doctor." Robin sniffed.

"No, you're my girlfriend," Patrick said in a sing song voice.

Robin rolled her eyes. "Not for much longer you act this demanding and irritating at my house. I'll dump you back on Carly. She'd deserve you." Robin's lips twitched with amusement.

"Ouch."

Robin just raised her eyebrow and looked at the chair.

With a resigned sigh Patrick walked over to the chair and sat down as Robin grabbed his overnight back and slung it over the back of the chair.

She turned him around to head towards the door when he turned to look at her and cleared his throat. She stopped and looked down at him.

"I am sorry." His words were gruff, as if his throat was rusty with that "s" word.

"For what exactly?"

"You know." Patrick shrugged and gave her seductive look.

"For biting my head off? For being crabby when I visited you? For picking fights with me about patient care when you're not supposed to be working?"

"Well, not that last part." He smiled, when she didn't smile back he sighed as he realized she was going to make him work for it this time. It was novel, but he kind of liked it. "Fine, I'm sorry for being a jackass."

"Do you know how many times you have made that same apology this week?" She leaned down and put her hands on his cheeks.

"I promise from now on I'll stop being a jackass and just be arrogant and insufferable. I know you like it." He winked.

Robin laughed and kissed him. "Just a little taste of what you'll get if you're a good little boy," she whispered before standing back up.

"Good? Little?" Patrick snorted and crossed his arm, his charming trademark smirk back in full force.

'Yup, back to insufferable." Robin rolled her eyes and reached over him to open the door.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Robin held the door open as Patrick gingerly made his way into the cottage. Though she knew he'd bite his tongue before he'd admit it, Robin could see the weariness in his eyes as he looked up the stairs, at the couch and then back toward the stairs. Though he had talked about all the things he wanted to do once they got to her place, it was clear that all he really wanted or needed was more rest.

"I put pillows and a blanket on the couch if you want to relax there for a while. I was going to fix lunch now anyway, well heat it up, and it would be easier if I didn't have to take your lunch up the stairs."

"Does this mean I can expect meals in bed. With you feeding me?" Patrick leered at her, putting his hand on her neck and sliding his fingers up to her cheek and leaning down, as much as his incision would let him.

Robin licked her lips, riveted by his heated gaze. Be a doctor, he needs rest, she kept telling herself, but it took more strength than she had right at that moment. During his stay in the hospital they had behaved themselves, her choice and something that probably didn't help Patrick's frustration levels, but truthfully she had missed the taste of his kiss and the feel of his body surrounding her at night. They had only ever spent the night in her bed twice, after she got out of the hospital and the night before he went in. And they had only been kissing for a few weeks. She couldn't imagine how much she was going to crave him as time went on, after they finally consummated the relationship.

It was this thought that had her slide under his arm and walk into the living room, trying to pretend her heart wasn't pounding. She busied herself with unfolding the blanket on the couch and putting the pillow on one end for him to lie on.

Patrick watched her, not surprised, but disappointed by her sudden flight. He had seen desire give way to panic in her eyes. The fire of it had leapt out of her eyes and into his, licking at his gut. He loved it like he loved roller coasters. He walked into the living room and let her settle him on the couch. Before she walked away he reached out and grabbed her arm. "Have I said thank you yet?"

"It might have passed your lips at some point." Robin slid her wrist through his hand until their hands were clasped. She squeezed and gave him a smile. "You know you didn't have to ask me to be your girlfriend to get me take care of you," she teased.

"Robin."

Her smile froze as she saw the expression on his face, the vulnerability she saw in his eyes.

"I'm not used to someone taking care of me. It's been a really long time."

Robin's stomach fluttered at his words, she had to take a few deep breaths to keep her composure. What was it about this man that he could break her with just a few words? Love, she remembered from her distant past, that was love did. She was about to throw caution to the wind and tell him just why it was her honor to do this for him, when he decided to lighten the mood and put her at ease.

"You just love having me at your mercy, don't you?" Patrick raised an eyebrow and shot her an obviously feigned suspicious look.

"Absolutely. That's why we're going to watch tons of chick flicks. You know those Lifetime movies? Yep, 24/7 baby." She rolled with the change of mood and grinned manically down at him.

"Anything but Lifetime!" He cringed and pulled his hand away to hold it in front of his face.

"You prefer Women's Entertainment or Oxygen?" She laughed and walked into the kitchen, feeling a bit disappointed that the moment had been lost, even as she told herself that even in his condition Patrick would run screaming from the cottage if she had said she loved him after barely two weeks of dating. Less, actually, since he had been unconscious for part of that time.

With a wry smile she began to unpack the food she had picked up from Kelly's earlier, Mike had just re-opened and she had given him her condolences about the loss of his daughter since she'd been too ill herself to attend the memorial service. This feeling, this vulnerability was exactly why she had resisted Patrick for so long. She either really liked someone or she had no interest in them at all. She was an all or nothing woman and her heart had really good radar. It had picked up on Patrick almost from the first time they had met – despite her head's very loud objections - as someone she could fall for. With his womanizing ways and slick come ons there was no way she would allow herself to let down her guard. And now that she had, the fall had been swift. Scary. Wonderful. All those things in one. And it way too soon to share it with a man who'd never had a serious adult relationship in his life.

But there was no denying that it had to be love, why else would she have been more amused and indulgent during his demanding and surly temper while he was in the hospital? Although, she grinned as she picked up a pot to heat up the soup, here she had weapons are her disposal should he get out of line.

As everything was heating up, she poured a glass of orange juice and took Patrick's prescription pain killers and antibiotic out of another bag and took it all into the living room. She stood holding everything looking down at him with a fond smile. He had already fallen asleep.

She put everything down on a side table and reached down to pull the blanket over his shoulders. She brushed his hair off his forehead and went back into the kitchen to eat her lunch and finish up some paperwork for the grant she had just gotten from the Medical Rescue Agency.


	21. Chapter 20

Hey readers, we're gonna take a little hiatus and let the creative batteries recharge. Might be a few days or more before our next update. We have some ideas in mind, just need to let them gestate a bit, and have some real life stuff to manage. Perhaps we'll finally get a kiss on the show and be inspired to take this relationship to the next level! Thanks for reading and for the great feedback!

>>>>>>>>  
**Chapter 20**  
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Her chicken salad sat half-eaten on the other side of the kitchen table which was covered in paper. She had ink all over her hand and even her forehead where she had rubbed the headache reading all these forms had caused. When Alan told her that the MRA approached GH with the offer of a grant to build a bio-safety lab to help them in their work and Alan thought she was the perfect person to take charge of the project she should have turned down his offer. She had a feeling this avalanche of paperwork was just the beginning. All the good the labs could do for Port Charles and the world was whited out with mounds and mounds of paper in her mind. Like a blizzard does to a good ski slope.

"When did the tornado hit?" Patrick said as he sat down at the table next to her, startling her out of her paperwork coma.

"While you were sleeping." Robin sighed, tossed her pencil on to the table and looked at him appraisingly. "You look much better."

"I didn't think that was possible." Patrick pursed his lips, imitating Ben Stiller's model face from Zoolander.

"Hungry?" Robin laughed and got up to get Patrick's medication and re-heat his lunch.

Patrick just grunted, his eyes already on the paper lying closest to him. As Robin put his pills and a glass of juice down next to him, he ignored her, his attention riveted by what he was reading.

"Fun reading, huh? When did science become more about the paperwork than the work anyway?" She turned the fire up on the soup pot she had taken out of the fridge.

By the time her voice got his attention, Patrick had picked up, skimmed and read through a number of the pages scattered about. At her voice he looked up and snared her with a fierce glare. "What the hell are you thinking?" He demanded.

"What?" Robin turned around from the stove to find Patrick standing up and scowling at her.

"After everything you just went through you're going to voluntarily expose yourself to dangerous viruses? I can't believe this." Patrick fumed.

Robin, a serving spoon in her hand just stared at him in shock. "It's my job Patrick."

"No, you're job is research and drug development and arguing with me about patient care and my bedside manner!" Patrick knew he was being unreasonable, but the thought of Robin voluntarily exposing herself to the microbes they studied in BSL 2 and 3 labs alarmed him and he didn't feel like being rational about it. "Do you really think I want to watch you dying underneath a plastic canopy again because some mistake is made in one of these labs?"

"So you think I'm going to make a mistake?"

"They happen, Robin." Patrick closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.

"Rarely." Robin's back was up, but she could see that his overreaction was caused by concern and probably his continued worry about his father. "Why don't you sit down, eat lunch and we can talk about this rationally."

"It's not like you're going to listen to me, even when it's to protect your own health," he said, remembering when he had tried to get her to leave before the hospital was quarantined. He leaned back in his chair and wondered where his unflappable cool had gone.

Robin sat down and watched him struggle for a few minutes. "Patrick, I have HIV."

"I know that." He looked at her like she was nuts.

"One day I am going to get sick and die. I am also a doctor, a researcher. Both are facts that I live with everyday and so does everyone in my life. Maybe we should take a step back in our personal relationship so that you can think about whether you can live with that."

"So I get concerned and you want to run. That's great, Robin. Just great."

"I'm just trying…"

"To give me an out. Did I say I want an out, Robin? Did I say that?" Patrick slapped his hand on the table. "I think you're the one who wants an out Robin. So you can go back to living our half life of work and research papers."

"You can't protect me by asking me not to do my job. I won't take unnecessary risks, but I can't." Robin stopped and tried to choose her words carefully. "I can't let this disease stop me from making a difference with my work."

"But you'll let it stop you from having a relationship with me the moment you don't like what I have to say or feel about something." Patrick was furious.

"That's not what I mean. I understand that it might be difficult for you as a doctor and man to deal with the inevitable."

"So you're going to protect me from watching you die, but I can't protect you or try to delay this inevitable you've resigned yourself to. That's bullshit. I may not be an expert here, but I'm fairly certain that all couples have disagreements and fights and then they communicate to work it out. Not run." Patrick crossed her arms.

Stunned to silence Robin just looked at him.

Relishing having the upper hand, Patrick continued. "I had a perfectly normal, if a bit irrational, reaction to the thought of you spending your days and nights in another quarantine suit or, worse, wearing a space suit and a respirator to do your job while you worked with barely visible microbes that could kill you and you turn it into my not being smart or sensitive enough to understand that you have HIV. I thought we were past that Doctor Scorpio."

"Wow, you're good," Robin finally said.

"I've always told you that," he said smugly.

"And that leaves us where exactly? If we get this grant, which apparently is dependent on me filling out this mound of paperwork, you don't want me to step foot in the labs we're building, despite the fact that it's my area of expertise."

"It leaves us exactly where you said it did. I'll have my lunch and then we'll discuss it rationally. And then I'll help you fill out this paperwork since I have nothing else to do for the next week until I'm cleared to go back to work."

Touched, Robin's eyes filled with tears. This man always brought her to her knees and made her fall even more in love with him.

"I know, you're staggeringly lucky to have such a sexy, fun, cultured, intelligent and supportive boyfriend."

"I know."

Uncomfortable with Robin's serious expression Patrick cleared his throat. "I think I smell something burning."

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A couple of days after their first official fight, Robin came home from an exhausting day at the hospital to a delicious aroma coming from the kitchen.

"What are you doing in there?" She leaned against the doorway to the kitchen and drank in the incredibly sexy sight of her boyfriend wearing sweat pants, a t-shirt and an apron and manning the stove which was covered in pots and pans. She looked at the counters and noted that he was even neat about it, just like her. That was a definite plus in a roommate, even a temporary one.

"Fixing dinner for someone who looks like she could use a good meal, a strong cup of good tea and some TLC in front of the fire." He peeked at her over his shoulder and smiled. "It'll be another fifteen minutes. Why don't you go into the living room and relax. Turn on some music."

After indulging herself in a study of his superior male form Robin went into the living room and turned on the radio and collapsed on the couch. She was too tired to even drag herself up the stairs to change her clothes. She was staring in to the fire when Patrick came into the living room and held a steaming mug in front of her.

"Not bad for a doctor with a miserable bedside manner."

"Maybe I've been paying attention to a doctor that has an excellent one."

"Thank you." She sipped the warm liquid from the cup, allowing it to heat and soothe her throat.

"You're welcome. It's just tea though, nothing to get too excited about."

"I just meant for all of this. It's nice to come home and have someone here. Making dinner for me," she tacked on at the last second. "Even when that someone probably shouldn't be up and around doing all this just yet."

"It's just a meal." He smiled broadly and walked back to the kitchen without saying anything. "I have one more thing for you." A moment later he was setting a vase filled with multi-colored roses on the coffee table in front of her.

She stared at them for a moment, and then looked at Patrick, smiling. "They're beautiful, but really not necessary."

"Not as beautiful as you are and it's just a small thank you for everything you've done and are doing for me. I doubt that my father would even be alive if it weren't for you."

"You're the one who donated part of your liver to him." Robin blushed and leaned over to smell the roses. Despite how often he made them, she still was really bad at accepting compliments. Knowing this only made him want to say them more often.

"My father would be dying in some seedy bar and I would still be pretending he was already dead if you hadn't come into our lives."

Robin shrugged and looked into her mug. "Life just happens sometimes."

"And sometimes you should take credit for the good work you do."

"You're welcome." Robin bit her lip and smiled up at him shyly.

"Do you want to know what's on the menu?" he asked, putting her out of her misery of self-consciousness. At her nod he continued, "Chicken marsala, pasta and steamed vegetables. And a surprise for dessert."

"Nice." Robin was impressed.

>>>>>>

After they ate and Patrick cleared the dishes at his insistence, they settled on the couch in front of the fire, Robin snuggled on his side opposite the incision. "If you sit up, I'll rub your back," he offered.

"This is perfect, just like this." She snuggled closer.

He smiled and tightened his hold around her. "This is pretty nice. I think perfect would be if I could kiss you."

Robin shifted her position so that her legs were resting on his lap and she was looking up at him, even as she wondered when she had come to enjoy the leer in his voice. Probably the first time she heard it, she admitted ruefully. "Better?"

He nodded as he lowered his mouth to capture hers in a soft kiss. Her arms encircled his neck as she pulled him closer. The kiss deepend. Many minutes later, breathless she reluctantly broke the kiss and tried to move away, but he held her tight. "No running away this time."

"I'm not running away." She continued when she saw his skeptical look. "Really I'm not. You haven't been cleared for physical activity."

"Shall I call the hospital and ask if I can fool around with my sexy girlfriend?" Patrick reached out towards the phone.

She blushed furiously and shook her head.

"Then shut up and humor the patient." After they had been kissing for while he pulled back and looked down at her, his eyes full of laughter and passion. "Now, this is a bedside manner I can get used to."


	22. Chapter 21

Thanks for the patience. Believe me, if we hadn't had these few days to stew we would have been bringing this story to an abrupt end. I'm not sure how much longer we have, but feedback always helps!

**>>>>>>   
Chapter 21  
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"How is it living with Patrick?" Liz asked as Robin put away the client binder she had been working on.

"It's fine, believe it or not." Robin leaned back against the counter, her back towards the elevator as she watched Liz entering information into the hospital computer system. "He's much better tempered than he was in the hospital now that he's up and about. He's even made me dinner and once he packed me a lunch."

"Thinking of making it more long-term?" Liz asked, a sly grin on her face.

Robin rolled her eyes at Liz's determined matchmaking.

"Come on, Robin. You can't tell me you're so eager to kick him back out after going to all that trouble to move his stuff into your house."

"Did Lucky tell you he didn't want to help move it back out?" Robin asked with a laugh. Lucky had called her at regular intervals for a couple of days after he and Jesse helped move Patrick's stuff into her cottage just to tell her how much his back still hurt.

"You know he's always happy to help his Scorpio sister. Especially when you bribe him so well." Robin had babysat for Cam so Liz and Lucky could enjoy a night out before Patrick got out of the hospital. It was the only way to get Lucky off her back.

"Don't you think it's a bit soon for Patrick and me to be considering moving in together? We've only been dating for three weeks."

"Oh please, you two have been dating since the first time you had dinner at the MetroCourt. If not before. All that bickering, foreplay."

"Wow. Well then it's been surely long enough to live together. Might as well call the caterers." Robin rolled her eyes. "I want to take my time here, Liz. Even with Simon, as spontaneous as I thought we were, it always felt like there was an agenda. Now I know why. With this, with Patrick, there's plenty of time. I really do want to learn to take it as it comes."

"You really mean that don't you?" Liz looked over at Robin, fully taking in her happy expression.

Robin nodded. For the first time in a long time she really did believe that there was plenty of time for her and Patrick to build a future together. For the first time in a long time she didn't feel a clock ticking somewhere from the bottom of her subconscious. She was happy just being where she was and with whom she was with.

"If she said that I'm the most dynamic man she's ever met, good looking, educated, cultured, sexy, talented in the kitchen and the …."

Robin spun around and nailed Patrick, who was standing on the other side of the Nurses' Station counter, with a dirty look.

Patrick shot her a leer and looked over at Liz. "How is General Hospital's most beautiful nurse doing on this fine afternoon?" While he spoke he clasped Robin's hands over the counter, tightening his hold on them when she tried to pull away.

"I'm great, Patrick. How are you feeling?" Liz asked.

"I am doing wonderful. In fact, I'm cleared to come back to work on Monday. Alan gave me off the weekend first, though. In fact, I'm told that you have a break in your schedule as well Doctor Scorpio."

"I do?" Robin asked wondering if she was mistaken or if he was up to something. She managed to pull one hand away and looked around to see who was watching.

Patrick nodded in confirmation, the grin on his face showing he was not-so-secretly enjoying flustering the ever professional Doctor Scorpio. "Which is lucky for you because I'm willing to take you away with me this weekend."

"Gee, lucky me. What about your Dad? He won't be released until the middle of next week at the earliest."

"Which means no chaperones." Patrick winked. "And before you say anything else, he's the one who's arranging this weekend for us."

Robin looked at Patrick curiously.

"He's sending up to the Drake family ski lodge and yours truly has the keys. Dad cleared it with the caretaker, no one else will be there this weekend."

"Ski season is over. Whatever will we do?" Robin put her hand on her chin and pretended to think deeply.

Patrick smiled, grabbed her hand back and brought both of Robin's hands to his lips. His eyes never left hers as he slowly kissed each one.

Liz grinned as she slipped away unnoticed.

>>>>>>>>

"It's beautiful." Robin stood at the glass doors looking out at the gorgeous view of the ski slopes and surrounding mountains in the waning winter dusk. Patrick walked over and put his hands on Robin's arms and looked down at her. "Yes, you are. Especially when you smile."

"Then it's a good thing for both of us you make me smile." Robin leaned back and sighed as he slid his arms around her. They fit so perfectly together, sometimes she didn't want to be anywhere but in his arms. She sighed again and closed her eyes, trying to chase away the nervous thought that it was too soon to feel this emotionally dependent.

"I always knew that you couldn't resist my charm." Patrick nuzzled her neck.

"I found you insufferable, arrogant, glib and irritating and I could barely stand you for two minutes at a time on a good day."

"And yet, here we are." Patrick smirked and nibbled causing Robin to huff out a breath.

"It was the virus, it caused brain damage." Robin bit her lip to stop a moan from escaping as his ministrations drove her mad.

"Good thing I'm a neurosurgeon then. Did I mention I'm really good with my hands?" And he set out to prove just that.

"I think you. Might. Have. Mentioned. That." His hands and lips were roaming over her body and Robin would have melted to the floor if she wasn't leaning against Patrick.

"You find my insufferable arrogance extremely sexy. Your eyes shoot sparks at me when you're particularly annoyed." He began unbutton her pink shirt, the tips of his fingers teasing her skin in between each button.

"I don't find it sexy." Robin wondered where she got the presence of mind to put a sentence together, never mind protest his claims. He was probably right she conceded as he slid the shirt off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

"Do you know how many fantasies I had featuring you in that locker room with just this bra on?" Patrick asked huskily as he traced his fingers over the sexy black garment.

Robin shook her head, no longer able to form the words to confess she'd had quite a few of her own about him back in that O.R. in NYC. His fingers were now unbuttoning her jeans.

"We haven't had dinner yet." She covered his hands with her own, stopping his movements.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, definitely not referring to food.

"It's my turn to cook and I had some romantic plans." Robin turned around in his arms and put her hands around his neck.

"If you cook just wearing that. Then serve me. Feed me." Patrick slid his index fingers under the waistband of her jeans at each hip. "Maybe speak in all French. In just your underwear."

"Do you understand French?" she asked.

"No. Spanish."

"So basically you want me to serve you, look hot and for you to not understand a word I say. In other words, be a male fantasy."

"I am still recuperating for a very dangerous surgery." Patrick grinned down at her unrepentant. "You could have lost me."

Robin cracked up, leaning her forehead against his chest, which sadly was still clothed, as she laughed. "That's very interesting, Patrick. Or would be if I were a psychiatrist. How easily you can use a life and death surgery to try to score a fantasy." Robin grinned up at him as he leaned down towards her in that way that always made her stomach flutter.

"Did it work?"

Robin rolled her eyes and brought his head the rest of the way down to her for a heated kiss.

>>>>>>>>


	23. Chapter 22

Thanks for all the encouragement! We're really glad you're enjoying the story. This is just a short part. More later.

>>>>>>>   
Chapter 22  
>>>>>>>

"I can't believe you really did it." Patrick leaned back in his dining room chair and let his eyes roam over his scantily clad girlfriend.

"I can't believe I really did it. Maybe the virus really did cause brain damage." Robin put her hand on her hip and shot Patrick a wry smile, as if she wasn't dressed, as requested, in only her black bra and panties and an apron. "Did you at least enjoy the food?"

"Food? There was food?" Patrick looked down at his mostly empty plate and then back up at Robin. "What's for dessert?" He licked his lips and leered at her. Before Robin could answer he jumped up and grabbed her around the waist and spun her around until her lower back was pressed against the country oak dining table. "How about I handle dessert?"

"I'm not sure I should agree to that, Patrick. The way this evening is going I'm not sure I should trust you." Robin shivered as he teased her bare skin. "I don't know how in the world I let you talk me into this."

"Simple, I found a new way to convince you."

"What's that?"

"Sincerity." He skimmed his hands up her waist, up the sides of her breasts, up her shoulders until his hands were cupping her face. "Where my overconfident seduction doesn't work, I simply tell you how incredibly sexy I find you and how much I adore you and you melt like putty in my hands."

"Isn't telling me this undermining to your technique?" Robin asked, knowing full well that it didn't diminish it one iota. Pretty much everything this man did got to her, one way or another.

"I had the caretaker stock us with some whipped cream and chocolate sauce." He leaned down and whispered in her ear. His smile turned wolfish as he felt her shiver against him at his seductive words.

"We can't!" Robin pulled back, her eyes saying the complete opposite. "We haven't even…" she trailed off and blushed. She couldn't believe he was proposing what he was proposing and they hadn't even made love yet. "You are such a rake!"

Patrick slid a finger under one of the straps of the beige apron she was wearing and slid it and her bra strap off her shoulder. Then he did the same with the other. "I know it's not the same as being tucked in with a medical journal, but I guarantee it's far more enjoyable." He leaned down and pressed soft kisses on her lips. "It's not that you don't taste good enough. But the image of you splayed out on the table." He nudged her back bending her back over aforesaid table. "Covered…"

Robin's breathing hitched and her eyes closed as he began kissing one bare shoulder.

"All over." He kissed the other shoulder.

Then he traced one finger over one cloth covered breast. Then the other.

"Patrick." Her voice was a broken whisper.

He opened his mouth to say something when his cell phone rang. Robin's eyes popped open and she began to straighten up.

"No. Ignore it," Patrick ordered, trying to gently press her back down.

"Patrick, it could be the hospital."

Patrick sighed, took one last look of Robin, half naked, her lips swollen, her hair mussed, before helping her stand up and turning to grab his cell phone off the kitchen counter. "Drake," he barked into the phone, betraying his frustration with the interruption.

As he listened to whatever the other person was saying his face froze and he looked over at Robin.

She had straightened up her straps and walked over to him, a concerned look in her face.

"When. What are they doing? No, it's fine. We'll be there as soon as we can." He closed the phone and took Robin's outstretched hand and answered her unspoken question.

"My father's body is rejecting the transplant."

TBC


	24. Chapter 23

The course of true love never runs smooth.

>>>>>>>>>  
Chapter 23  
>>>>>>>>

She insisted on driving them back. From the moment he received the phone call Patrick's head was a million miles away – already with his father. He was hardly off the telephone on the two hour drive back to Port Charles trying to talk to the doctors, Alan Quartermaine and a transplant specialist that he had worked with back on New York City. By the time they reached General Hospital he knew all the details of treatment and prognosis on Noah's case. He was hardly conscious that Robin had repacked their bags, gotten redressed and was with him at the hospital as he once again spoke to the doctors and, finally, visited with Noah.

She was standing looking out the window in the small waiting room on the transplant unit when she heard someone enter the room. She turned around and saw a haggard looking Patrick. Without a word she walked over to him and took him into her arms. She wished she had something more than trite, comforting words to say to him, but she knew he'd see right through them. Instead she guided him over to a bench and just held on to him for as long as he would allow.

"He told me to go home. Said I had to rest," Patrick said when he finally let go and leaned back against the wall. "Seems like an odd time for fatherly concern."

"Are you going to listen?" Robin asked, tentatively taking his hand, relieved when he turned his palm and entwined their fingers. She covered their hands with her other one.

"I think he knew this was going to happen when he sent us away for the weekend. So instead of being here I was two hours away and helpless."

"You couldn't have done anything more," Robin said.

"I could have been here!" Patrick exploded, pulled his hand away and standing up and stalking towards the window and then back to stand in front of Robin. "He's been sending me away for years while he lets his life slip through his grasp. I don't know why the hell I ever bother. Every time it's the same thing!"

Robin stood up and put her hand on his chest. "Patrick, he's not rejecting you," she said quietly.

At her words the fight went out of Patrick's body and he covered his eyes with his hand. "I don't know what to do. I just don't know what to do." He dropped his hand and looked down at her, his brown eyes filled with fear and frustration.

"The only things we can do are wait and pray."

>>>>>>>

"You should go home."

Robin look over at Patrick who she had thought was sleeping on the couch across from her. "I'm not going to leave you, or Noah."

"There's nothing you can do here." Patrick stood up and walked over the coffee pot in the corner of the room.

Robin looked at him worriedly. He'd been getting more and more distant as the hours wore on. Shutting her out and shutting down. It was just before dawn and they were waiting for the new combination of anti-rejection drugs to show signs of effectiveness. If they didn't work soon they were going to have to rush him to surgery and take out the rejected liver and put him on a bioreactor machine until a new liver could be found. That was if they could get Noah to agree to be put on the transplant list, which so far he was steadfastly refusing.

Nothing his son, Bobbie, Robin or his doctors had said so far would get him to change his mind.

As a result, Patrick was beside himself with fury and grief. He had to be thrown out of Noah's room because he was yelling at the patient, tears soaking his cheeks. From then on he'd refused to speak to anyone except to ask Robin if he had changed his mind yet after she came out of talking with him. When she told him "no" he'd just turned away.

She didn't tell him that she had tried.

_"Help him through this. He has to know he tried and that I was so proud of him." _

_"All he sees is you giving up." _

_"Again. Like I did after I lost his mother." _

_"Don't do this to him again. You've already agreed that your life is worth it. Fight for it, fight for the lives you know you'll save and fight for your son." _

_At those words Noah turned his head away and refused to answer her pleas._

She hated seeing him give up like this and she hated to see what it was doing to his son.

"I can be with you. For you."

"My own father doesn't seem to think that's enough to try and live for." Patrick shrugged away her words.

"He agreed to this surgery, Patrick."

"So it's okay if he just gives up now?" Patrick spun around, the cold coffee he was holding sloshed onto his wrist. "Robin Scorpio's unending compassion and understanding for people's choices even when those choices are nothing but stupid pride or cowardice!" He slammed the cup down on the table and took a napkin to the wetness on his wrist, studying it as if it was a complex surgical procedure. "Just go home, Robin. Go home."

Robin stood up and her heart broke as she looked at him across the room. Standing there in jeans and a t-shirt, his arm muscles bunched up and straining the material. His posture was stiff and she could tell that knots were forming in the strong muscles of his neck and shoulders. And that he wouldn't accept her touch for his own comfort.

"I'll be working if you need me." She picked up her sweater and walked to the door, she paused and looked back at him. He refused to look at her and she couldn't think of anything she could say that could bridge the distance between them, so she walked out the door and let it close softly behind her.

When she was gone, Patrick looked up at the door. His face was blank.


	25. Chapter 24

I'm such a sucker. I can't kill off Noah and I can't drag this out myself!

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Chapter 24  
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Just looking at her hurt. The compassion in her eyes hurt him more than his father's weak refusal to take the next steps to fight for his life. Just six months ago he wouldn't have felt it and would have felt pity for someone who wasted their time with compassion and understanding. Life just was. He just was.

He was racking up wins in the OR and in the bedroom. He was a god among doctors and men. He had a great co-op, nice vacations when he bothered to take the time, a great car for weekends out of the City, a time share in the Hamptons with some old medical school buddies, good clothes and as many electronic gadgets as he could find in his rare spare time.

And he had a drunk father somewhere out there slowly killing himself that he had long ago given up for dead, except in the rare moments when some medical journal or old time doctor brought up his father's spectacular career or spectacular flame out.

And no one, nothing, touched his heart and made him hurt again the way he was hurting now.

And it was all Robin Scorpio's fault.

So as the clock ticked in the background while he paced the waiting room he decided to turn it off.

Now, he stood watching the sun rise over Port Charles from the window of his office trying to block out the look of unending patience and compassion, and beneath all that the hurt disappointment in Robin's brown eyes the last time he dared to look at her. Trying to block out his father's weak good byes. Trying to not care about the prognosis delivered to him by the specialist. Trying to push away the exhaustion tearing at his body - thinking, hoping, praying that if he could push through just one more moment he would be able to push it all away and turn it all off again. Go back in time. Be who he used to be. Before her.

How the hell had he ended up here in a small city he'd only heard of in old stories shared by his father and mother with much laughter? Practically homeless, sharing words of wisdom with strangers, learning the value of a compassionate bedside manner and practicing monogamy?

Robin.

Her name whispered through his mind and he closed his eyes and practically collapsed into a sitting position on his desk. He rubbed at the headache pounding through his head and concentrated on taking one more breath. Another. The area near his surgery was aching, but he didn't dare taking a pain killer. He hated feeling out of control, that's why he never drank and why he resisted any medication he didn't absolutely need. And until recently had resisted caring. He was afraid if he gave into the false numbing of the drug he'd forget the pain in his heart and soul he was trying to battle back.

"Patrick?" He thought it was a trick of the mind, the sound of his name being called so it wasn't until it was repeated that he turned around. He didn't realize how much he wished it was Robin until he saw Liz standing there instead. He didn't utter a word; just waited for whatever message she had come to deliver.

"Noah's responding to the medication."

It was in the second he heard those words that he realized that the battle had been for naught. Tears began to flow from his eyes and he let out a sob he couldn't stop.

Surprised and not a little concerned Liz stepped into the office, letting the door close behind her and walked up to Patrick.

His breathing was ragged as he brought himself under control.

"Where's Robin?" Liz asked, putting her hand on his arm.

Patrick let out a harsh laugh and looked up at the ceiling. He shook his head. "I sent her home." He took a raspy breath and rubbed at his face.

"Do you want me to call her?"

Unconsciously, he pressed a hand over his aching right side where a piece of him had been taken out and given to another. "She said she was going to be working." He dipped his head and tried to muster up the energy to go down and face her himself.

"She's not. Alan made her go home. Lucky took her after dropping me off. She wanted to leave you the car."

"Why did he send her home? Was she all right?" Patrick's head snapped up.

"She looked tired, that's all."

"I'll call her, if she's even speaking to me." Patrick stood up, feeling a bit lightheaded.

"You all right?" Liz noticed his pallor and that he swayed a little when he stood up.

"Just tired, Nurse Spencer. Is my father allowed visitors?"

"He's sleeping right now, probably will be fore most of the day. Which I think you should be, too."

"I'm not sure I have anywhere to go." Patrick grimaced and looked at his feet.

"Robin's not going to throw you into the street because you were upset about your father, whatever happened between the two of you."

"I don't know if I can do this, Liz." Patrick sat back down on the desk and hunched over.

"Do what?"

"Relationship. Emotions." Patrick laughed, but it was not in amusement. "I've been standing here watching the sunrise trying to figure out how to make it all go away again."

"I'm sure if anyone could understand that it would be Robin. A lot of us can."

Patrick looked up at Liz, seeing for himself that what she said was true. "You don't. I've seen you."

"I have." She smiled wryly at the things she had once tried to push out of her heart. "But I have a wonderful husband who has always stood by my side in the tough times and not let me shut down. Even when I tried to make him go away."

"I pushed Robin away. She left." He knew he sounded like a petulant little boy but he was too tired to really care. Not in front of Liz.

Liz smiled at him. "Robin was right about you after your first date when she said that somewhere under that cocky exterior was something resembling a heart. It more than resembles a heart, Patrick. It's a really big one and sometimes letting that out hurts. But the rewards are more than worth it."

Patrick flashed back to seeing her pray for her husband in the hospital chapel during the chaos that was the outbreak. Then the image of his father drinking himself into a stupor after he lost his wife on the table. Then to Robin waking up after the virus had been defeated in her system. Then to waking up with her in his arms that first time.

"I'm going to go look in on my dad." Patrick stood up and looked at Liz, feeling suddenly awkward. "Um, thanks for the news. And the, um, advice."

"I'll call you taxi when you're ready to leave to go home to Robin."

Trying to appear unaffected, as if his heart hadn't sped up at her words and wasn't trying to pound its way out of his chest, he walked with her to the door of his office and held it open for her to pass through first.

TBC


	26. Chapter 25

>>>>>>>>>  
Chapter 25  
>>>>>>>>>

Patrick quietly closed the front door to the cottage. Exhausted both physically and emotionally he rubbed his face and scratched his fingers through his already mussed hair as he tried to clear his head before he could take another step. The downstairs of the cottage was eerily quiet so Patrick hesitantly put his hand on the handrail and dragged himself up the stairs. Once at the top he stood outside Robin's slightly ajar bedroom door. He took a deep breath, hoping that she wouldn't awaken and he could just sink quickly into his own oblivion. Finally, he pushed the door open the rest of the way and walked in only to find the room empty and the bed still made. Frowning, he walked out of the room wondering where Robin was when he heard a voice coming from Robin's office further down the hall.

He walked towards the melodic sound of her voice and softly rapped his knuckles on the door before pushing it open to see her sitting with her back to the door and talking on the telephone. At her absent wave he walked further in to stand in the middle of the room, waiting while she wrapped up her conversation, his mind too weary to try and translate her rapid fire French or even decide whether to sit down or leave her alone.

After a couple of minutes she hung up the phone and turned in her chair to face him still standing uncertainly in the middle of the room. She looked, he noticed as his eyes drank in her petite form, as tired as he felt. Dark smudges darkened her already dark eyes and she looked pale in her pink tank top and patterned flannel pajama bottoms. His fog of weariness suddenly abated as worry for her took precedence and he walked forward to put his hand on her forehead.

She tilted her head to look at him, a puzzled expression on her face. Then she took his hand off her forehead and clasped it in her small, strong hands. "What are you doing?" Her voice was husky with lack of sleep.

"You look pale."

"You look worse. Sit down before you fall down."

Instead of pulling up a chair or dragging himself to the couch Patrick sat down right where he was on the floor in front of her chair.

"Bobbie called and said that Noah was out of danger," Robin said quietly, her eyes filled with gentle concern at his uncharacteristic stillness.

Patrick closed his eyes and nodded. He once again rubbed a hand over his face, flinching at the feel of his overgrown stubble. He opened his bleary eyes to study Robin's expression. His eyes narrowed as he looked for the censure or upset that he expected to see. His head jerked as she placed a hand on his head and gently stroked her fingers through his hair.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I." Patrick stopped. He had steeled himself through the entire cab ride for a completely different situation; his tired mind was unable to adjust to what was going on. His head felt muzzy and his stomach was churning as he tried to find his footing. "Why aren't you upset?" He held his hands out.

"You need some sleep, Patrick." Robin chuckled. "Come on."

He took her hand off his cheek and stroked it with his thumb, his eyes locked with hers, still trying to understand her reaction. He finally gave up and with a tired groan he let his head drop onto her lap and slid his hands around her waist. He turned his head and stared out into the distance.

Robin stroked his hair and looked down at him lovingly and waited.

"I wanted to make it all go away." His voice was muffled by the flannel of her pajama bottoms. "I blamed you for making me feel. Before you I didn't, I didn't have to deal with my dad, with feelings. I wanted it back. I wanted the nothing back." He was too tired to fight back the tears that slid out of the corners of his closed eyes and dampened Robin's legs.

"Do you need for me to be mad at you for doing what I would have done? Have done?"

"No." Patrick let out a soft laugh and knuckled the tears off his exposed cheek and sniffled.

"I was upset at first because I want to be there for you, Patrick. And because I worry that if keep doing things like this it'll ruin us." Robin took a deep breath and said what she had to say before she lost her nerve. "I don't want to lose you, Patrick. I..I love you." Robin closed her eyes and bit her lip, a part of her was waiting for him to run screaming from her house.

Instead of running, Patrick's breath hitched and his hands tightened around Robin's waist. He took a deep breath. Then another. Finally feeling steady enough, he pushed himself off her lap and looked up at her, his brown eyes sparkling. "I love you, Robin Scorpio." A smile curved Patrick's lips and he let out a chuckle and shook his head.

"What's so funny?" Robin groaned as he slid his fingers underneath the pink tank top she was wearing to caress her bare skin.

"How in the heck did the two of us fall in love?" He chuckled again and the look of amusement in his eyes changed to one of passion.

"Very reluctantly." Robin hissed out a breath as his fingers moved in a distracting rhythm.

"Wanna take a nap with me?"

Robin's nerves skittered at the seductive growl in his voice. She bit her bottom lip and nodded, then let out a squeal when he pulled her by the hips off her chair onto his lap. The desk chair flew backwards and struck the wood desk, neither of them even heard the clatter as his hands slid up her back under her shirt and he pulled her against him as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Their lips met in a slow mating of tongues as all thoughts of sleep fled.


	27. Epilogue

A/N: This brings to an end our first full-length Scrubs fic. It was a definite learning experience for us and I hope entertaining for you readers. Thanks for all your feedback and encouragement. We're on to bigger and better stories – we hope!

>>>>>>>  
Lost & Found – Epilogue  
>>>>>>>

"You're thinking very loudly, Scorpio."

Robin smiled and looked up from the file she was studying to find her boyfriend Patrick Drake leaning over her. "How was surgery?" she asked as she put a hand on his chest. She knew from the look in his eyes that he was seconds away from initiating a searing kiss right in full view of the entire hospital.

"Brilliant, as always. Don't I get a reward?" he bit his lip and narrowed his brown eyes seductively.

"It's called a paycheck, Drake."

He snickered and grabbed the pen out of her hand and held it out of her reach over his head.

She put her hands on her hips and glared up at him, her eyes, however, were dancing with merriment at his antics.

"What's my reward, Scorpio?" He taunted her with the pen.

"So much for Hippocratic Oath." She rolled her eyes.

"Exactly."

The two doctors grinned at each as both vividly recalled the first time they'd had this exchange. It was a night that changed everything for them, as individuals and as a couple. And a couple they most firmly were. After Patrick had come to stay with her after his surgery he had never left. Tonight, though, would be their first night in the new home they had bought together. One in which all their stuff fit and they could fill with memories they would create together.

"Are you ready to go home?" she asked, placing her fingertips just over his waist and looking up at him.

Patrick smiled widely down at her dropped the pen onto the desk. "Ready when you are." He licked his bottom lip and flashed a dimple at her.

"Meet you at the car?"

>>>>>>>>

"When did you arrange this?" Robin clapped her hands and looked over at Patrick who was standing next to her. In front of them, on the wood surface of the dining room table they had taken from the Drake Family cabin, were all of Robin's favorites. Lobster tail. Broccoli. Tater Tots. Champagne. Strawberries. Whipped Cream. And a very familiar looking apron.

Patrick walked over to the table and picked up the apron and dangled it. Many times since their first they had gone back to the cabin and recreated – and finished – the activities of their first attempt to stay there together. Patrick never thought he'd be fond of an apron, but he'd found some duplicates on the Internet so they wouldn't run out.

Robin, holding his burning gaze, began to unbutton her blue shirt.

"What are you going to wear, Doctor Drake?" Robin asked as she dropped her shirt onto the floor.

"Just my smile, Doctor Scorpio. Just my smile."


End file.
